Consisting of many different elements; various.
"The museum's new exhibit features a diverse collection of artifacts from every continent on Earth."
In plain English: Diverse means having many different kinds of people, things, or ideas mixed together.
"The school cafeteria offers a diverse menu with food from many different cultures."
Usage: Use "diverse" to describe a group that contains many distinct types or varieties within it, such as a diverse workforce with employees from different backgrounds. Avoid using it simply to mean "different," as the term specifically implies a collection of multiple distinct elements rather than just two contrasting ones.
In different directions; diversely.
"The wind blew the leaves away from the tree in diverse directions, scattering them across the entire yard."
In plain English: Diverse means having many different kinds of people or things mixed together.
"The team worked diverse hours to ensure everyone could attend meetings."
Usage: Diverse" is an adjective and should never be used as an adverb; instead, use the word "diversely" to describe actions happening in different directions or ways. Avoid phrases like "a diverse range of choices" when you mean variety, but strictly do not attempt to modify verbs with "diverse.
The word diverse comes from the Latin dīversus, which means "turned apart." It entered English through Anglo-Norman and Old French to describe things that are different or of various kinds.