PIE word *dwóh₁ The adjective is derived from Middle English divers, diverse (“different, divergent”), from Anglo-Norman divers, Anglo-Norman divers, and Old French divers (“different; of various kinds”) (modern French divers), and directly from their etymon Latin dīversus (“different, diverse”), an adjective use of the perfect passive participle of dīvertō (“to divert, turn away”), from dī- (variant of dis- (prefix meaning ‘apart, in two’)) + vertō (“to turn”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *wert- (“to rotate; to turn”)). Doublet of divert. The adverb is derived from Middle English diverse (“differently; at various times”), from divers, diverse (adjective) (see above).
Capable of or having various forms in different situations or at different times; multiform.
[T]he diverse mone abowt, / Now bryght, now browne, now bent, now full, and now her lyght is owt.1537–1542 (date written), Thomas Wyatt, “[Poems Written after 1536] Iopas’ Song”, in A[gnes] K[ate] Foxwell, editor, The Poems of Sir Thomas Wiat […], volume I, London: Hodder and Stoughton [for the] University of London Press, published 1913, →OCLC, stanza 5, page 195, lines 62–63:
Eloquence is a great and diverse thing.1641, Ben Jonson, Discoveries:
3
Chiefly preceded by a descriptive word: of a community, organization, etc.: composed of people with a variety of different demographic characteristics such as ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, or socioeconomic status; especially, having a sizeable representation of people who are minorities in the community, organization, etc.
The stage reflected the increasingly diverse Democratic party in which women and people of color are ascendant. Three women – two more than have ever shared a stage during a presidential primary debate and one of whom is Hindu – a Latino former congressman and a black senator participated.2019 June 27, Lauren Gambino, “Democratic 2020 candidates clash on healthcare, immigration and economy in first debate”, in Katharine Viner, editor, The Guardian, London: Guardian News & Media, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 08 Apr 2023:
4
Not the same; different, dissimilar, distinct.
And they gaue them drinke in veſſels of gold, (the veſſels being diuers one from another) and royall wine in abundance, according to the ſtate of the king.1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Esther 1:7, signature Yy2, recto:
[T]h' old Chäos (vvombe of th' Universe) / VVas never made of Members more diverſe.1614, [Guillaume de Salluste] Du Bartas, “Bethulia’s Rescue. The Wonder of Widowes: Honour of Wives: Mirrour of Maids. The Third Book.”, in Josuah Sylvester, transl., Du Bartas His Deuine Weekes and Workes […], London: […] Robert Young, published 1633, →OCLC, page 490, column 1:
4 more examples
But it muſt be obſerved concerning moral Inability, in each Kind of it, that the VVord Inability is uſed in a Senſe very diverſe from its original Import. […] The VVord ſignifies only a natural Inability, in the proper Uſe of it; […] It can't be truly ſaid, according to the ordinary Uſe of Language, that a malicious Man, let him be never ſo malicious, can't hold his Hand from ſtriking, […]1754, Jonathan Edwards, “Section IV. Of the Distinction of Natural and Moral Necessity, and Inability”, in A Careful and Strict Enquiry into the Modern Prevailing Notions of that Freedom of Will, which is Supposed to be Essential to Moral Agency, Vertue and Vice, Reward and Punishment, Praise and Blame, London: […] Thomas Field, […], published 1762, →OCLC, page 37:
‘Our roads are diverse: farewell, love!’ said she. / ‘’Tis duty I abide by: homely sward / And not the rock-rough picturesque for me![’]1876, Robert Browning, “Bifurcation”, in Pacchiarotto and How He Worked in Distemper: With Other Poems, London: Smith, Elder, & Co., […], →OCLC, page 93:
Intelligence contemplates all it sees— / Albeit but a point in the infinite / Universe—with but two rays of light, / Which illustrate diversest destinies; […]1881, Thomas Caulfield Irwin, Sonnets on the Poetry and Problems of Life, Dublin: M[ichael] H[enry] Gill & Son; London: Simpkin, Marshall 7 Co., →OCLC, page 63:
This is what collectivism forgot — the freedom to be diverse, and the conception of each diverse individual being inherently of equal value and having open-ended potential for contribution.1998, Ken Shelton, Integrity at Work, Provo, Ut.: Executive Excellence Pub., →ISBN, page 42:
5
Nonstandard Of a person: belonging to a minority group.
The Board's [i.e., Board of Governors'] goal is to commit to doubling the number of women and diverse members of the Academy by 2020.2016 January 22, “Academy Takes Historic Action to Increase Diversity”, in Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, archived from the original on 23 Jan 2016:
Here to comment is diverse Congresswoman from Ohio—please welcome representative Marcia Fudge.2018 November 17, “Voter Fraud [cold open]”, in Saturday Night Live, season 44, episode 6:
1 more example
[Mike] Richards came under fierce criticism since he was formally hired to emcee the legendary quiz show, with some longtime fans saying they believed the producers should have selected a more diverse candidate for the job, such as the actor and presenter LeVar Burton.2021 August 23, “Mike Richards out as Executive Producer of ‘Jeopardy!’ and ‘Wheel of Fortune’”, in NBC News, archived from the original on 05 Dec 2024:
6
Obsolete Differing from what is good or right, or beneficial; bad, evil; harmful.
This kyng Edward the .ii. father to the noble kyng Edward the .iii. had .ii. bretherñ⸝ the one called Marſhall⸝ who was ryght wyld ⁊ diuers of condicions⸝ the other called ſir Aymon erle of Cane right wyse⸝ amiable⸝ gẽtle [gentle] and wellbeloued with al people.1523 February 7 (Gregorian calendar), Johan Froyssart [i.e., Jean Froissart], “Here Myn Auctour Maketh Mencion of the Parentꝭ [Parentis] of this Good Kyng Edward the .iii.”, in Here Begynneth the First Volum of Sir Johan Froyssart: Of the Cronycles of Englande⸝ Fraunce⸝ Spayne⸝ Portyngale⸝ Scotlande⸝ Bretayne⸝ Flañders: And Other Places Adioynynge. […], 1st volume, London: […] Richarde Pynson⸝ […], →OCLC; reprinted as The First Volum of Sir Johan Froyssart of the Chronycles of Englande⸝ Fraunce⸝ Spayne (The English Experience […]; no. 257), Amsterdam: Theatrum Orbis Terrarum; New York, N.Y.: Da Capo Press, 1970, →ISBN, folio ii, recto, column 1:
[Y]ou that beſt ſhould teach vs, / Haue miſdemean'd your ſelfe, and not a little: / Tovvard the King firſt, then his Lavves, in filling / The vvhole Realme, by your teaching & your Chaplaines / (for ſo vve are inform'd) vvith nevv opinions, / Diuers and dangerous; vvhich are Hereſies; / And not reform'd, may proue pernicious.1613 (date written), William Shakespeare, [John Fletcher], “The Famous History of the Life of King Henry the Eight”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act V, scene iii], page 220, column 1:
7
Obsolete Having different colours; mottled, variegated.
8
Obsolete, Rare Causing one to be indecisive between different viewpoints.
So many pathes, ſo many turnings ſeene, / That vvhich of them to take, in diuerſe doubt they been.1590, Edmund Spenser, “Book I, Canto I”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC, stanza 10, page 5:
PIE word *dwóh₁ The adjective is derived from Middle English divers, diverse (“different, divergent”), from Anglo-Norman divers, Anglo-Norman divers, and Old French divers (“different; of various kinds”) (modern French divers), and directly from their etymon Latin dīversus (“different, diverse”), an adjective use of the perfect passive participle of dīvertō (“to divert, turn away”), from dī- (variant of dis- (prefix meaning ‘apart, in two’)) + vertō (“to turn”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *wert- (“to rotate; to turn”)). Doublet of divert. The adverb is derived from Middle English diverse (“differently; at various times”), from divers, diverse (adjective) (see above).
1
Obsolete Synonym of diversely (“in different directions”).
[The river in the Garden of Eden] novv divided into four main Streams, / Runs divers, vvandring many a famous Realme / And Country vvhereof here needs no account, […]1667, John Milton, “Book IV”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC, signature M2, verso, lines 233–235:
The Gourd, / And thirſty Cucumer, vvhen they perceive / Th' approaching Olive, vvith Reſentment fly / Her fatty Fibres, and vvith Tendrils creep / Diverſe, deteſting Contact; […]1708, [John Philips], “Book I”, in Cyder. […], London: […] J[acob] Tonson, […], →OCLC, page 17:
1 more example
To ſeize his papers, Curl, vvas next thy care; / His papers light, fly diverſe, toſt in air: […]1729, [Alexander Pope], “Book the Second”, in The Dunciad. With Notes Variorum, and the Prolegomena of Scriblerus, London: […] Lawton Gilliver […], →OCLC, page 99, lines 105–106:
diverse
verb
Etymology
From Middle English diversen (“to differ, diverge; to become different, change; to vary; to change or vary (something); to make a distinction, distinguish; to divert”), from Anglo-Norman diverser, Middle French diverser, and Old French diverser (“to alter, change; to differ, diverge; to disagree”), from Late Latin diversare (“to differ”), and then either: * a frequentative form of Latin dīvertere, the present active infinitive of dīvertō (see etymology 1); or * from dī- (variant of dis- (prefix meaning ‘apart, in two’)) + versāre (the present active infinitive of versō (“to alter, change; to keep turning, whirl”), a frequentative form of vertō: see etymology 1). Etymology 2 sense 1 (“synonym of diversify”) became obsolete in the 16th century, and was probably recoined in the 20th century.
› Synonym of diversify.
1
To make (something) different or varied in form or quality; to alter, to change, to vary.
I Dyuerſe[,] I make difference⸝ Ie diuerſifie, prime coniu.1530 July 28 (Gregorian calendar), Iohan Palsgraue [i.e., John Palsgrave], “The Table of Verbes”, in Lesclarcissement de la langue francoyse⸝ […], [London]: […] [Richard Pynson] fynnysshed by Iohan Haukyns, →OCLC, 3rd boke, folio ccxvi, recto, column 2; reprinted Geneva: Slatkine Reprints, October 1972, →OCLC:
In the Eocene, when the Old World and American mammal fauna were more nearly related, we have a hypothetical genus, Archipithecus, from which diversed a branch giving rise to the platyrhine apes, the families Cebidæ and Hapalidæ.1895 November 25 (date delivered), Eugène Dubois, “On Pithecanthropus erectus: A Transitional Form between Man and the Apes”, in The Journal of the Anthropological Institute of Great Britain and Ireland, volume XXV, London: […] [F]or the Anthropological Institute of Great Britain and Ireland, by Kegan Paul, Trench, Trübner & Co., […], published 1896, →ISSN, →OCLC, page 247:
1 more example
Nature does have a way of altering and diversing wetlands, streams and portholes through a period of a long range of years.1983 August 10, Bernard Muller, “Written Testimony Submitted to Congressional Hearing on Senate Bill #1329: Senators [James] Abdnor & Chaffee [i.e., John Chafee] at Aberdeen, SD: August 10, 1983”, in Wetland Conservation: Hearings before the Subcommittee on Environmental Pollution of the Committee on Environmental and Public Works, United States Senate, Ninety-eighth Congress, First Session on S. 978, a Bill to Extend until October 1, 1993, the Authorization for Appropriations to the Migratory Bird Conservation Fund, and for Other Purposes and S. 1329, a Bill to Extend until October 1, 1993, the Authority for Appropriations to Promote the Conservation of Migratory Waterfowl and to Offset or Prevent the Serious Loss of Wetlands and Other Essential Habitat, and for Other Purposes […] (S. Hrg. 98-421), Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office, →OCLC, page 370:
2
Business, Finance To make the scope of (business, investments, etc.) different or varied, especially so as to balance and mitigate risks.
The investors in the SPC [special purpose company] derive their return, and well as diversing their risk, from three factors.2001, Marcel Jeucken, “Sustainability, Markets and Banking Products”, in Sustainable Finance and Banking: The Financial Sector and the Future of the Planet, London; Sterling, Va.: Earthscan Publications, →ISBN, part II (Banking and Sustainability), page 109:
3
Obsolete, Rare To go a different route or way from someone else; to diverge, to separate.
Then each to other vvell affectionate, / Friendſhip profeſſed vvith vnfained hart, / The Redcroſſe knight diuerſt, but forth rode Britomart.1590, Edmund Spenser, “Book III, Canto III”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC, stanza 62, page 443:
We regret that the gentleman diversed so widely from the subject before the committee.1960 April 13, Clarence Cannon, “Witness: Hon. Toby Morris, a Representative in Congress from the State of Oklahoma”, in Public Works Appropriations for 1961: Hearings before the Subcommittee of the Committee on Appropriations, House of Representatives, Eighty-sixth Congress, Second Session […] Part 5: Testimony of Members of Congress, Interested Organizations, and Individuals […], Washington, D.C.: United States Government Printing Office, →OCLC, page 1480: