divinae

Divinae is a Latin term formed as the feminine plural of the adjective divinus, meaning divine or godlike. In Latin, adjectives agree with the nouns they modify, but divinae can also function as a substantive noun meaning “the divine ones” or “the goddesses.” In this substantive sense it designates a group of female divine beings rather than a single named deity, and it is often used in religious, mythological, or poetic contexts to evoke sacred femininity without identifying specific figures.

As an attributive phrase, divinae can modify a feminine noun to express a divine quality or attribute. For example, phrases invoking divinae virtutes or divinae potestates would be translated as “divine virtues” or “divine powers,” respectively. The form is primarily attested in classical and medieval Latin, where it appears in texts that discuss deities, priestesses, or sacred phenomena in generalized terms.

In modern scholarship, divinae is discussed in the study of Latin grammar and rhetoric as an example of how adjectives can function as stand-ins for divine beings or be used to create a particular religious or poetic aura. In contemporary fiction or neo-Latin writings, the form may also appear as a stylistic device or as a proper-name-like label for a group of female deities or sacred figures, though such usage is literary rather than canonical.

See also: divinus, dea, divinitas.