diva

The story

1. Proto-Indo-European · derived from*deywós“god”
2. Proto-Italic · derived from*deiwā“goddess”
3. Old Latin · derived fromdeivā
4. Latin · derived fromdīva“goddess”
5. Italian · borrowed fromdiva“diva, goddess”
6. English todaydiva

From Italian diva (“diva, goddess”), from Latin dīva (“goddess”), female of dīvus (“divine, divine one; notably a deified mortal”), from Old Latin deivā, from Proto-Italic *deiwā (“goddess”), feminine of *deiwos (“god”), from Proto-Indo-European *deywós (“god”).

Words from the same roots

First known use, by meaning

• from the 19th c. Any female celebrity, usually a well known singer or actress.