Deity vs. Divine: Know the Difference
By Shumaila Saeed || Updated on December 25, 2023
Deity refers to a god or goddess, a supernatural being of religious worship, while Divine relates to being godlike, sacred, or associated with a god.
Key Differences
Deity is a noun, specifically referring to a god or goddess in various religious traditions. Divine, an adjective, describes something that is of, from, or like a god, often in a sense of being sacred or holy.
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Dec 06, 2023
A deity embodies a specific entity in religious contexts, having distinct narratives and attributes. Divine refers to the nature or quality of being godlike, including aspects that are transcendent, sacred, or spiritually superior.
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Dec 06, 2023
While deity denotes a specific god or goddess with individual characteristics and stories, divine can refer to a general sense of holiness or sacredness, not limited to a specific entity.
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Dec 06, 2023
In many cultures, deities are worshipped and have a defined role in religious and mythological systems. In contrast, divine can be used to describe actions, interventions, or qualities attributed to or inspired by a godlike essence.
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Dec 06, 2023
In summary, deity is a concrete term for a god or goddess, while divine is an abstract adjective that characterizes something as godly or sacred.
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Dec 06, 2023
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Comparison Chart
Context
Specific entities in religious worship
General sense of holiness or godliness
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Usage
Refers to individual gods or goddesses
Describes qualities or actions related to godliness
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Deity and Divine Definitions
Deity
An exalted or revered figure in religious context.
Odin is a central deity in Norse mythology.
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Divine
Pertaining to gods, especially in relation to sacredness.
The temple was considered a place of divine worship.
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Deity
A god or goddess in a polytheistic religion.
Zeus is a well-known deity in Greek mythology.
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Divine
Relating to theological studies or religious matters.
She pursued a degree in Divine Studies.
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Deity
A supernatural being considered divine or sacred.
In Hinduism, Shiva is a major deity.
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Deity
A divine character or being in mythology.
Aphrodite was worshipped as a deity of love and beauty.
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Divine
Of, relating to, emanating from, or being the expression of a deity
Sought divine guidance through meditation.
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Divine
Supremely good or beautiful; magnificent
A divine performance of the concerto.
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Deity
The collection of attributes which make up the nature of a god; divinity; godhead; as, the deity of the Supreme Being is seen in his works.
They declared with emphasis the perfect deity and the perfect manhood of Christ.
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Deity
A god or goddess; a heathen god.
To worship calves, the deitiesOf Egypt.
This great poet and philosopher [Simonides], the more he contemplated the nature of the Deity, found that he waded but the more out of his depth.
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Deity
Any supernatural being worshipped as controlling some part of the world or some aspect of life or who is the personification of a force
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Divine
To guess or know by inspiration or intuition
Somehow divined the answer despite not having read the assignment.
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Deity
A figure of worship in various religious traditions.
The ancient Egyptians worshipped Ra as a sun deity.
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Divine
To locate (underground water or minerals) with a divining rod; douse.
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Divine
(often capitalized, with 'the') God or a god, particularly in its aspect as a transcendental concept.
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Divine
(transitive) To foretell (something), especially by the use of divination.
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Oct 19, 2023
Divine
(transitive) To guess or discover (something) through intuition or insight.
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Oct 19, 2023
Divine
(transitive) To search for (underground objects or water) using a divining rod.
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Divine
Appropriated to God, or celebrating his praise; religious; pious; holy; as, divine service; divine songs; divine worship.
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Divine
Pertaining to, or proceeding from, a deity; partaking of the nature of a god or the gods.
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Divine
Godlike; heavenly; excellent in the highest degree; supremely admirable; apparently above what is human. In this application, the word admits of comparison; as, the divinest mind.
A divine sentence is in the lips of the king.
But not to one in this benighted ageIs that diviner inspiration given.
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Divine
Presageful; foreboding; prescient.
Yet oft his heart, divine of something ill,Misgave him.
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Divine
Relating to divinity or theology.
Church history and other divine learning.
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Divine
A minister of the gospel; a priest; a clergyman.
The first divines of New England were surpassed by none in extensive erudition.
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Divine
To foresee or foreknow; to detect; to anticipate; to conjecture.
A sagacity which divined the evil designs.
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Divine
To foretell; to predict; to presage.
Darest thou . . . divine his downfall?
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Divine
To use or practice divination; to foretell by divination; to utter prognostications.
The prophets thereof divine for money.
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Divine
To have or feel a presage or foreboding.
Suggest but truth to my divining thoughts.
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Divine
Search by divining, as if with a rod;
He claimed he could divine underground water
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Divine
Emanating from God;
Divine judgment
Divine guidance
Everything is black1 or white...satanic or godlyt
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Divine
Resulting from divine providence;
Providential care
A providential visitation
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Divine
Being or having the nature of a god;
The custom of killing the divine king upon any serious failure of his...powers
The divine will
The divine capacity for love
'Tis wise to learn; 'tis God-like to create
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Divine
Devoted to or in the service or worship of a deity;
Divine worship
Divine liturgy
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Divine
Appropriate to or befitting a god;
The divine strength of Achilles
A man of godlike sagacity
Man must play God for he has acquired certain godlike powers
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Divine
Of such surpassing excellence as to suggest divine inspiration;
Her pies were simply divine
The divine Shakespeare
An elysian meal
An inspired performance
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Divine
Of, from, or like a god, especially in being beautiful or splendid.
The divine beauty of the sunset left them in awe.
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Divine
Exceptionally good or godlike.
Her singing voice was nothing less than divine.
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Divine
To foretell or know by inspiration or intuition.
He claimed to divine the future through visions.
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Repeatedly Asked Queries
What does divine mean?
Divine refers to something that is of, from, or like a god, often in a sacred or holy context.
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Dec 06, 2023
Is divine always related to gods?
Divine usually pertains to godliness, but it can also describe something exceptionally good or beautiful.
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What is a deity?
A deity is a god or goddess worshipped in various religious traditions.
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Can divine be used in a non-religious context?
Yes, divine can describe anything exceptionally beautiful or splendid, not just religious aspects.
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Does divine have a moral connotation?
Divine often carries a positive or sacred connotation, but it can be context-dependent.
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Dec 06, 2023
Can humans be considered deities?
In some beliefs, humans can be deified, but generally, deities are supernatural beings.
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Are deities always supernatural?
Typically, deities are considered supernatural beings beyond human understanding.
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Do all religions have deities?
Not all; some religions like Buddhism don't focus on the worship of deities.
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Can divine refer to actions?
Yes, actions can be described as divine when they are inspired by or resembling godliness.
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Dec 06, 2023
Can the term divine refer to fate or destiny?
Divine can sometimes be used to refer to fate, especially if believed to be guided by a god.
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Dec 06, 2023
Is there a gender for deities?
Deities can be of any gender, depending on the cultural and religious context.
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Are deities worshipped in all forms of theism?
Most forms of theism involve the worship of one or more deities.
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Dec 06, 2023
Can animals be considered deities?
In some cultures, animals are revered as deities or embody deities.
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Is divine judgment a religious concept?
Yes, divine judgment is often a religious concept involving judgment by a deity.
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Can divine intervention be negative?
Divine intervention is generally seen as positive, but it can be interpreted differently based on context.
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Can divine be used to describe nature?
Yes, natural phenomena can be described as divine in their beauty or awe-inspiring qualities.
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Dec 06, 2023
Are deities part of mythology?
Yes, deities are central figures in various mythologies around the world.
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Dec 06, 2023
Do deities always have human-like forms?
Not always; deities can take various forms, including abstract or symbolic representations.
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Dec 06, 2023
How are deities depicted in art?
Deities are often depicted in human or semi-human forms, adorned with symbolic elements.
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Can divine refer to spiritual insight?
Yes, divine can also imply a level of spiritual insight or revelation.
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Dec 06, 2023
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About Author
Written by
Shumaila SaeedShumaila Saeed, an expert content creator with 6 years of experience, specializes in distilling complex topics into easily digestible comparisons, shining a light on the nuances that both inform and educate readers with clarity and accuracy.