diverse
dy-VURS
/daɪˈvɜːrs/
Showing a great deal of variety; very different.
Refers to a collective variety within a group, emphasizing the presence of distinct, non-overlapping elements or backgrounds.
The story behind the word. The word 'diverse' traces back to the Latin verb 'divertere', which literally meant 'to turn aside' or 'to turn in different directions'. When you describe a group as diverse, you are poetically saying that its members have turned down many different paths, resulting in a beautiful variety of perspectives.
Word relationships
- varied: Varied emphasizes the alteration or change in form, while diverse emphasizes the distinct differences between the elements.
- heterogeneous: Heterogeneous is a highly formal, scientific term for things made of completely different parts.
- homogeneous: Homogeneous means completely uniform or of the same kind throughout.
- uniform: Uniform means remaining the same in all cases and at all times.
Commonly confused with
- different: Different simply means not the same, whereas diverse implies a rich, collective variety of many different things.
Word family
- diversity (noun): The state of being diverse; variety.
- diversify (verb): To make or become more diverse.
Collocations
- diverse background
- diverse range
- culturally diverse
- diverse workforce
Example sentences
- "The city's diverse culinary scene features flavors from every continent." Describing a modern urban neighborhood's population.
- "We must protect the diverse ecosystems of our planet before they are lost forever." From a speech on ecological variety.
Memory hook
Think of 'diverse' as 'di-verse'—a book containing many 'different verses' of poetry. Turn in different directions to see a diverse world.
When not to use
Do not use to describe a single item; an object cannot be 'diverse' on its own unless it is composed of many varied parts.
Fun facts
- The English word 'divers' (without the 'e' at the end) was once used to mean 'several', but it has largely been replaced by 'diverse' in modern usage.
Related words
Explore more words
biodiverse, disparate, divergent, multifaceted, versatile, inclusive
Also appears in
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