Div

//ˈdɪv// noun, verb, slang

noun, verb, slang ·Common ·High school level

Definitions

Noun
  1. 1
    A function, implemented in many programming languages, that returns the result of a division of two integers.
  2. 2
    Divergence; a kind of differential operator.
  3. 3
    Divinity, as a school subject. Ireland, UK, slang, uncountable
  4. 4
    A foolish person; an idiot. Ireland, UK, slang

    "Too many commentators are quick to accuse their enemies of being evil. It's far, far more effective to point out that they're acting like divs instead."

  5. 5
    Alternative form of daeva. alt-of, alternative
Show 4 more definitions
  1. 6
    A section of a web page, or the div element that represents it in HTML code.
  2. 7
    A division; a lesson. UK
  3. 8
    division; a subject with multidisciplinary scope. UK
  4. 9
    A division.
Verb
  1. 1
    Abbreviation of divide. abbreviation, alt-of

Example

More examples

"Too many commentators are quick to accuse their enemies of being evil. It's far, far more effective to point out that they're acting like divs instead."

Etymology

Etymology 1

Clipping of division.

Etymology 2

Clipping of divergence.

Etymology 3

Clipping of divinity.

Etymology 4

UK, 1980s. Clipping of divvy (“a foolish person”).

Etymology 5

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *dyew- Proto-Indo-European *-ós Proto-Indo-European *deywós Proto-Indo-Iranian *daywás Proto-Iranian *daywáh Old Persian 𐎭𐎡𐎺 (d-i-v /⁠daivaʰ⁠⁠/) Middle Persian 𐫅𐫏𐫇 (dyw /⁠dēw⁠/) Iranian Persian دیوْ (div)bor. English div Borrowed from Iranian Persian دیوْ (div). Doublet of daeva and deva, and (via PIE) related to Tiw, Zeus, and deus. Compare the root *div- in divine and diva as well as *dei- in deity, deism etc.

Related phrases

Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.