Devines

Devines is a term that can refer to two related but distinct concepts in English. In historical usage, devines is the plural of devine, an archaic noun meaning a theologian or member of the clergy. In modern English, the standard plural for theologians is divines, though devines appears in older texts and in some literary or dialectal contexts.

Etymologically, devine reflects historical spelling variations of the word divine. In Early Modern English, writers occasionally used devine as a noun for a learned person in theology, with devines serving as its plural. Over time, divines became the conventional form in contemporary usage.

As a surname, Devine (and its plural Devines) is of Irish origin and occurs in Ireland and among Irish descendants in the United States, Britain, and elsewhere. The name has several spellings, including Devine, DeVine, and related variants, reflecting regional and linguistic shifts in anglicization of Gaelic forms. The plural Devines can be seen as the ordinary pluralization of the family name when referring to multiple individuals bearing that surname.

In current usage, outside of historical or genealogical contexts, devines as a general term are uncommon. Modern references to religious scholars use divines, while Devine or Devines are encountered primarily as surnames. The contrast between devines and divines reflects a shift in spelling conventions rather than a difference in meaning.