Diver
/ˈdaɪ.vər/noun
A person or animal that dives, especially a person who dives underwater or a diving waterbird.
Did you know?In modern English, “diver” names both a human who descends beneath water and several waterbirds—including the loon—whose survival depends on spectacular underwater plunges.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*dheub-
“Deep, hollow, or sunken; a reconstructed root associated with depth.”
Proto-Germanic
Germanic
*dubjaną
“To dip or immerse, especially by plunging downward.”
Old English
Old English
dyfan
“To dip, immerse, or cause to sink.”
Middle English
Middle English
diven
“To plunge or descend headfirst; the modern verb developed from this form.”
14th–15th Century
English
diver
“An agent noun formed from dive with the suffix -er: one who dives.”
Modern English
English
diver
“A person or animal that dives; also a name for certain diving waterbirds.”