1. A female operatic star; SYN. diva. Strictly, the singer of the principal female role in an opera.
2. A vain and temperamental person. By the 19th century the term had entered nonmusical vocabulary to describe an arrogant and histrionic person, either male or female.
Seit dem 17. Jh. v. a. in der ital. Oper die erste Sängerin, für die Hauptrolle.