diverse
adjective
- to have a variety, or ranges of differences which exist in a group
Wiktionary
Pronunciation: /daɪˈvɜːs/ / /ˈdaɪ.vɜːs/ / /daɪˈvɝs/
adj
Etymology: 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).
- Consisting of different elements; various.
- 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.”
“Eloquence is a great and diverse thing.”
- 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.”
- 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.”
“[T]h' old Chäos (vvombe of th' Universe) / VVas never made of Members more diverſe.”
- 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.”
“Here to comment is diverse Congresswoman from Ohio—please welcome representative Marcia Fudge.”
- 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.”
“[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.”
- Having different colours; mottled, variegated.
- 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.”
adv
Etymology: 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).
- 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, […]”
“The Gourd, / And thirſty Cucumer, vvhen they perceive / Th' approaching Olive, vvith Reſentment fly / Her fatty Fibres, and vvith Tendrils creep / Diverſe, deteſting Contact; […]”
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.
“I Dyuerſe[,] I make difference⸝ Ie diuerſifie, prime coniu.”
“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.”
- Synonym of diversify.
“The investors in the SPC [special purpose company] derive their return, and well as diversing their risk, from three factors.”
- 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.”
“We regret that the gentleman diversed so widely from the subject before the committee.”