diva

diva, star

noun DEE-vah Rare

Origin: From Latin diva, 'goddess', feminine of divus.

Usage Note

Diva entered Italian directly from Latin meaning 'goddess' and today describes a celebrated female performer, especially in opera or film. Used colloquially it can imply temperamental or demanding behaviour (fare la diva, to act like a diva). The masculine divo is equally used for male stars.

Examples

"La diva ha ricevuto una standing ovation."

Natural Translation

The diva received a standing ovation.

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