diver

American  

[dahy-ver] / ˈdaɪ vər /

noun

1. a person or thing that dives.

2. a person who makes a business of diving, as for pearl oysters or to examine sunken vessels.

3. British. a loon.

4. any of several other birds noted for their skill in diving.

---

diver British  

/ ˈdaɪvə /

noun

1. a person or thing that dives

2. a person who works or explores underwater

3. Also called: loom.  US and Canadian name: loon.  any aquatic bird of the genus Gavia, family Gaviidae, and order Gaviiformes of northern oceans, having a straight pointed bill, small wings, and a long body: noted for swiftness and skill in swimming and diving

4. any of various other diving birds

5. slang soccer a player who pretends to have been tripped or impeded by an opposing player in order to win a free kick or penalty

---

Etymology

Origin of diver

First recorded in 1500–10; dive + -er ¹

Example Sentences

Now retired, he is Britain's most decorated diver having competed in five Olympic Games and collected three bronze, one silver and one gold medal.

From BBC • Mar. 27, 2026

How they are laid: A diver attaches it to a ship’s hull, magnetically or with a nail gun.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 12, 2026

"But I do not think it was a diver, I do not think it was a good swimmer."

From Barron's • Feb. 27, 2026

Peering through his goggles, diver Ted Judah had laid eyes on a deep-sea creature rarely encountered by humans.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 15, 2026

I hesitated a moment, like a diver on the brink, then lost my nerve and my tutored self-possession, saying, “Yes, I believe so—he comes into the restaurant for his meals.”

From "Rebecca" by Daphne du Maurier

Related Words

• boater
• cadet
• marine
• pilot