divert

B2 Topic:Actions & Processes

US /daɪˈvɝt/ UK /daɪˈvɜːt/ See IPA manual

Freq #13362

Meanings

1

verb
To change the direction or route of something.

Traffic was diverted around the city centre during the parade.
2

verb
To take someone's attention away from something.

Don't let him divert your attention from the real problem.
3

verb
To use money or resources for a different purpose, sometimes dishonestly.

He was accused of diverting company funds into his own account.

Verb forms

Verb forms are not available for this word yet.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 verb · to change the direction or... deflect redirect

3 verb · to use money or resources... hive off

Word family

Forms diverteddivertingdiverts

Derived forms divertablediverteedivertiveredivertundivert

Related forms diverse diversion diversity

Etymology

From Middle English diverten, Old French divertir (“to turn or go different ways, part, separate, divert”), from Latin di- (“apart”) + vertere (“to turn”); see verse.

*wert- Proto-Indo-European diverten Middle English divertir Old French di- Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Actions & Processes

External links

# divert

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B2
**Part of speech:** verb
**IPA (US):** /daɪˈvɝt/
**IPA (UK):** /daɪˈvɜːt/
**Frequency rank:** 13362

## Meanings
1. To change the direction or route of something.
2. To take someone's attention away from something.
3. To use money or resources for a different purpose, sometimes dishonestly.

## Examples
- Traffic was diverted around the city centre during the parade.
- Don't let him divert your attention from the real problem.
- He was accused of diverting company funds into his own account.

## Derived Forms
- divertable
- divertee
- divertive
- redivert
- undivert

## Related Forms
- diverse
- diversion
- diversity

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: *wert-
- Root: diverten
- Root: divertir
- Root: di-

## Etymology
From Middle English diverten, Old French divertir (“to turn or go different ways, part, separate, divert”), from Latin di- (“apart”) + vertere (“to turn”); see verse.

## AI Etymology
Divert comes from Middle English diverten, Old French divertir (“to turn or go different ways, part, separate, divert”), from Latin di- (“apart”) + vertere (“to turn”); see verse. In current use, the main senses are “To change the direction or route of something” and “To take someone's attention away from something”.

## Topics
- Actions & Processes

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