divinity
gb/dɪvˈɪnəti/ us/dɪvˈɪnəti/
B2
English
~ 7000
Senses
0 senses
Noun
formal
C1
property
1
the state of being divine
The special nature of a god, or the quality of being like a god.
Usage pattern:
the divinity of [someone/something]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse "divinity" (the state of being divine) with the adjective "divine". Use "divinity" as a noun: "the divinity of Christ", not *"the divine of Christ".
Synonyms
godhood (A more technical or literary term, used mainly in religious or fantasy contexts.)
Antonyms
humanity (Refers to ordinary human nature, without godlike status or powers.)
Collocations
the divinity of Christ
|question his divinity
|deny her divinity
|acknowledge divinity
|attribute divinity to [someone]
|claim divinity
Themes
religion
|philosophy
Examples
- The debate centered on the divinity of Christ in early Christian councils.
- Many myths describe heroes who gradually assume full divinity.
- The temple was built to honor the queen’s supposed divinity.
- Some philosophers completely reject the idea of any kind of divinity.
- The painting tries to capture the quiet divinity of the natural world.
Learner examples
- Early Christians argued about the divinity of Jesus.
- In the story, the king believes in his own divinity.
- Some people see nature’s beauty as a sign of divinity.
- The priest spoke about the divinity of God.
- The writer questions the divinity of all gods.
Noun
B2
entity
2
a god or goddess
A god or goddess that people worship.
Usage pattern:
a/the divinity of [place/tradition]
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse this countable use ("a divinity") with the uncountable abstract meaning ("divinity" as a state). If you can say "a god" or "gods", you are using the countable meaning.
Synonyms
deity (Very close in meaning; slightly more common in religious and academic writing.)
Antonyms
mortal (Highlights the contrast between an immortal god and an ordinary human who can die.)
Collocations
a Greek divinity
|ancient divinities
|pagan divinities
|lesser divinity
|local divinity
Themes
religion
|mythology
Examples
- Athena is a central divinity in Greek mythology.
- The villagers left offerings for the local divinity who guarded the forest.
- In the story, each river has its own divinity.
- The temple was dedicated to several divinities of the harvest.
- He writes fantasy novels filled with strange divinities and spirits.
Learner examples
- Zeus is a powerful divinity in old stories.
- The people prayed to a sea divinity before they sailed.
- In this game you can choose which divinity you follow.
- They built a stone figure of a moon divinity.
- Many cultures have a sun divinity and a rain divinity.
Noun
formal
C1
entity
3
academic study of religion
A subject at college or university where people study religion and religious ideas.
Usage pattern:
study divinity / a degree in divinity
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes think "divinity" in this sense means "religion" in general. It is more specific: it usually refers to the academic subject (like "biology"), not simply personal religious belief.
Synonyms
theology (More common as the academic term; can sound slightly more technical than "divinity".)
Antonyms
secular studies (Refers to fields of study not focused on religion or faith.)
Collocations
study divinity
|degree in divinity
|school of divinity
|faculty of divinity
|divinity student
|doctor of divinity
Themes
education
|religion
Examples
- She went to Edinburgh to study divinity and train for the ministry.
- Many universities have a separate faculty of divinity.
- After completing his degree in divinity, he became a chaplain.
- Her research in divinity focuses on modern Christian ethics.
- The college offers both divinity and philosophy programs.
Learner examples
- He is doing a master’s degree in divinity.
- She wants to study divinity and become a pastor.
- The university has a famous school of divinity.
- My brother is a divinity student in London.
- They invited a professor of divinity to speak about faith.
Noun
C1
entity
4
a fluffy sugary candy
A very sweet white candy made from sugar and egg whites, usually with nuts, eaten especially in the U.S.
Usage pattern:
make divinity / homemade divinity
Common mistake:
Learners often think "divinity" always has a religious meaning. In American English, it can also be the name of this specific kind of candy.
Synonyms
nougat (A similar sweet, but usually chewier and not exactly the same recipe or texture.)
Antonyms
savory food (Highlights that divinity is a very sweet dessert, not a salty or non-sweet dish.)
Collocations
homemade divinity
|Christmas divinity
|pecan divinity
|make divinity
|divinity candy
Themes
food
|daily life
|food_drink
|daily_life
Examples
- My grandmother always makes pecan divinity for the holidays.
- The bakery sells old-fashioned Southern divinity by the pound.
- She tried three times before the divinity finally set correctly.
- We spent the afternoon making divinity and fudge for Christmas gifts.
- This recipe for divinity uses corn syrup and chopped walnuts.
Learner examples
- Her aunt taught her how to make divinity.
- They ate divinity and other sweets at Christmas.
- I bought some divinity from a small candy shop.
- The divinity did not set because it was too humid.
- He likes divinity with a lot of nuts.
Grammar
Dictionary form
divinity
IPA
GB/dɪvˈɪnəti/
US/dɪvˈɪnəti/
Syllables & stress
di - vin - ity (3 syllables)
Stress on 2nd syllable (vin)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: divinity
- Plural: divinities, divinity
Word family
Forms
divinities
noun
Core family
divine
adjective B2
divinely
adverb
Related words
divination
noun C1
diviner
noun
Expressions
divinity school
1/dɪvˈɪnəti skˈul/
fixed phrase
college for religious training
A college or graduate school where people study religion and train to be priests, pastors, or other religious leaders.
Examples
- She moved to Boston to attend divinity school.
- After divinity school, he served as a pastor in a small town.
- Many divinity schools now offer courses in counseling and social justice.
Doctor of Divinity
1/dˈɑktɚ əv dɪvˈɪnəti/
fixed phrase
formal
advanced divinity degree title
A very high academic or honorary degree in divinity or theology.
Examples
- He received an honorary Doctor of Divinity from the university.
- After years of research, she was awarded a Doctor of Divinity.
- The speaker, a Doctor of Divinity, discussed modern approaches to ministry.
faculty of divinity
1/fˈækəlti əv dɪvˈɪnəti/
fixed phrase
formal
university divinity department
The department and teachers at a university who teach divinity or theology.
Examples
- She joined the faculty of divinity soon after finishing her PhD.
- The faculty of divinity organized a conference on interfaith dialogue.
- Students praised the faculty of divinity for its supportive staff.
Master of Divinity
1/mˈæstɚ əv dɪvˈɪnəti/
fixed phrase
formal
graduate divinity degree title
A graduate degree in divinity that many people get when they want to work as pastors, priests, or other religious leaders.
Examples
- She is completing a Master of Divinity at a seminary in Chicago.
- Most applicants for this position must hold a Master of Divinity.
- His Master of Divinity program includes courses in preaching and counseling.
school of divinity
1/skˈul əv dɪvˈɪnəti/
fixed phrase
formal
university divinity faculty
A part of a university where divinity or theology is taught.
Examples
- He teaches ethics at the school of divinity.
- The university’s school of divinity dates back to the sixteenth century.
- Applications to the school of divinity have increased in recent years.