different between diverse vs several

English

Alternative forms

• diuers, divers (obsolete)

Etymology

From Old French divers, from Latin diversus (“various, different”), also written divorsus, past participle of diverto, divortere (“to turn or go different ways, part, separate, divert”); see divert.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /da??v??s/
• (US) IPA^(key): /d?.?v?s/, /da?.?v?s/, /?da?.v?s/
• Rhymes: -??(?)s

Adjective

diverse (comparative more diverse, superlative most diverse)

1. Consisting of many different elements; various.

   Synonyms: manifold; see also Thesaurus:heterogeneous

   Antonyms: homogeneous; see also Thesaurus:homogeneous

2. Different; dissimilar; distinct; not the same

   Synonyms: see Thesaurus:different

   • 1797?, Jonathan Edwards, A Dissertation Concerning Liberty and Necessity; containing remarks on the essays of Dr. Samuel West, and on the writings of several other authors, on those subjects.

     It must be observed concerning moral Inability, in each kind of it, that the word Inability is used in a sense very diverse from its original import.

   • 1876, Robert Browning, Bifurcation

     Our roads are diverse: farewell, love! said she.
3. Capable of various forms; multiform.
   • 1641, Ben Jonson, Discoveries

     Eloquence is a great and diverse thing.

4. Composed of people with a variety of different demographic characteristics in terms of, for example, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, etc., and having a sizeable representation of people that are minorities in a given area.
5. (nonstandard, proscribed) Belonging to a minority group.

   Idris Elba was a diverse hire for the franchise

   • 2016 January 22, Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences^[2]:

     The Board’s goal is to commit to doubling the number of women and diverse members of the Academy by 2020.

   • 2018 November 17, Saturday Night Live, season 44, episode 6, Voter Fraud (cold open):

     Here to comment is diverse Congresswoman from Ohio […] Marcia Fudge.

Derived terms

• megadiverse

Related terms

• divert
• diversity

Translations

Adverb

diverse (comparative more diverse, superlative most diverse)

1. In different directions; diversely.

Further reading

• diverse at OneLook Dictionary Search
• diverse in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.
• diverse in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.
• diverse in Keywords for Today: A 21st Century Vocabulary, edited by The Keywords Project, Colin MacCabe, Holly Yanacek, 2018.

Anagrams

• derives, dervise, deviser, drivees, revised, sivered

Danish

Etymology

From Latin diversus, via French divers

Adjective

diverse

1. various, sundry, miscellaneous, incidental.
   • han annoncerede under «diverse»
     • he inserted an ad in the "miscellaneous" section

   Synonyms: alle mulige, alskens, forskellige, forskelligartet

2. Capable of various forms; multiform.

Inflection

References

• “diverse” in Den Danske Ordbog

Dutch

Pronunciation

Adjective

diverse

1. Inflected form of divers

Anagrams

• de Vries

Esperanto

Adverb

diverse

1. diversely

French

Adjective

diverse

1. feminine singular of divers

Anagrams

• dérives, dérivés, verdies

German

Pronunciation

Adjective

diverse

1. inflection of divers:
   1. strong/mixed nominative/accusative feminine singular
   2. strong nominative/accusative plural
   3. weak nominative all-gender singular
   4. weak accusative feminine/neuter singular

Italian

Adjective

diverse

1. feminine plural of diverso

Verb

diverse

1. third-person singular past historic of divergere

Anagrams

• sedervi, vedersi

Latin

Alternative forms

• d?vors?

Etymology

From d?versus (“turned different ways”)

Adverb

d?vers? (not comparable)

1. in different directions; hither and thither
2. (figuratively) variously

Related terms

• d?versit?s
• d?versus

References

• diverse in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879) A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
• diverse in Charlton T. Lewis (1891) An Elementary Latin Dictionary, New York: Harper & Brothers
• diverse in Gaffiot, Félix (1934) Dictionnaire illustré Latin-Français, Hachette
• Charlton T. Lewis (1891) An Elementary Latin Dictionary, 1st edition. (Oxford University Press)

Middle English

Alternative forms

• divers, dyvyrs, dyvers, dyverse, dyverce

Etymology

From Old French divers, from Latin diversus.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?div?rs/, /?di?v?rs/

Adjective

diverse

1. different, differing
2. (collectively) distinct, unique; diverse
3. various, varying
4. strange, odd, unusual
5. several, many
6. unfriendly

Related terms

• diversite

Descendants

• English: diverse
• Scots: diverse

References

• “d??vers(e, adj.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007, retrieved 2018-04-02.

Adverb

diverse

1. differently; diversely
2. variously

Descendants

• English: diverse

References

• “d??verse, adv.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007, retrieved 2018-04-02.

Norwegian Bokmål

Etymology

From Latin diversus, via French divers

Adjective

diverse (indeclinable)

1. diverse, various, sundry, miscellaneous.

   han annonserte under «diverse»

   he inserted an ad in the "miscellaneous" section

2. Capable of various forms; multiform.

References

• “diverse” in The Bokmål Dictionary.

Norwegian Nynorsk

Etymology

From Latin diversus, via French divers

Adjective

diverse (indeclinable)

1. diverse, various, sundry, miscellaneous.
2. Capable of various forms; multiform.

References

• “diverse” in The Nynorsk Dictionary.

Swedish

Adjective

diverse (not comparable) (plural only)

1. diverse, various, different

English

Alternative forms

• severall (obsolete)

Etymology

From Anglo-Norman several, from Medieval Latin s?par?lis, from Latin s?par (“separate”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?s?v(?)??l/
• Hyphenation: sev?er?al, seve?ral

Adjective

several (comparative more several, superlative most several)

1. (obsolete) Separate, distinct; particular. [15th-19th century]
   • 1599, William Shakespeare, Julius Caesar:

     Here is the will, and under Caesar's seal. To every Roman citizen he gives, to every several man, seventy-five drachmas.

   • So one thing may be good and bad to several parties, upon diverse occasions.

   • 1852, Washington Irving, Tales from the Alhambra:

     the hearts of the three cavaliers were completely captured, especially as gratitude was added to their admiration; it is a little singular, however, though no less certain, that each of them was enraptured with a several beauty.

   • 1666, Dryden, Annus Mirabilis: The Year of Wonders

     Each several ship a victory did gain.

   • 1711, Alexander Pope, An Essay on Criticism

     Each might his several province well command, / Would all but stoop to what they understand.

2. A number of different; various. [from 16th century]
   • 1610, The Tempest, by Shakespeare, act 3, scene 1

     […] for several virtues / Have I lik'd several women; never any / With so full soul but some defect in her / Did quarrel with the noblest grace she ow'd, / And put it to the foil […].

   • early 1600s, Francis Bacon, Of Simulation and Dissimulation

     habits and faculties, several, and to be distinguished
3. (law) Separable, capable of being treated separately.

Derived terms

• joint and several

Determiner

several

1. Consisting of a number more than two but not very many. [from 17th century]

   Several cars were in the parking lot.

   They had many journals. I subscribed to several.

   Several of the members were absent.

   • 1784, William Jones, The Description and Use of a New Portable Orrery, &c., preface:

     The favourable reception the Orrery has met with from Per?ons of the fir?t di?tinction, and from Gentlemen and Ladies in general, has induced me to add to it ?everal new improvements in order to give it a degree of Perfection; and di?tingui?h it from others ; which by Piracy, or Imitation, may be introduced to the Public.

   • 2004, The Guardian, 6 November:

     Several people were killed and around 150 injured after a high-speed train hit a car on a level crossing and derailed tonight.

Usage notes

• Some dictionaries and many older grammars put several into the word class 'pronoun' in many of its uses.

Derived terms

• several states
• severally

Translations

See also

• sever

Adverb

several (not comparable)

1. By itself; severally.
   • 1551, Ralph Robinson (sometimes spelt Raphe Robynson) (translator), Utopia (originally written by Sir Thomas More)

     Every kind of thing is laid up several in barns or storehouses.

Noun

several (plural severals)

1. (obsolete) An area of land in private ownership (as opposed to common land).
2. Each particular taken singly; an item; a detail; an individual. (Can we add an example for this sense?)
3. (archaic) An enclosed or separate place; enclosure. (Can we add an example for this sense?)
4. (archaic) A woman's loose outer garment, capable of being worn as a shawl, or in other forms.

Translations

References

• several at OneLook Dictionary Search
• several in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.

Anagrams

• Leavers, laveers, leavers, reveals, vealers

Old French

Adjective

several m (oblique and nominative feminine singular severale)

1. separate

Declension

Noun

several m (oblique plural severaus or severax or severals, nominative singular severaus or severax or severals, nominative plural several)

1. one's own property or possession

Related terms

• sevrer
• desevrer

Descendants

• English: several

References

• several on the Anglo-Norman On-Line Hub