# devise

> English word · Verb · IPA /dɪˈvaɪz/ · frequency rank #22,645

## Definitions
1. To use one’s intellect to plan or design (something).
2. To leave (property) in a will.
3. To form a scheme; to lay a plan; to contrive; to consider.
4. To plan or scheme for; to plot to obtain.
5. To imagine; to guess.

## Etymology
PIE word
 *dwóh₁
From Middle English devisen, devysen, from Old French deviser, from Vulgar Latin devisō, from Latin dīvisō, frequentative of dīvidō.

## Easily confused with
- **devs** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/devise-vs-devs)
- **Devos** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/devise-vs-devos)
- **divine** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/devise-vs-divine)
- **divide** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/devise-vs-divide)
- **devote** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/devise-vs-devote)
- **Devito** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/devise-vs-devito)
- **devised** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/devise-vs-devised)
- **devi** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/devi-vs-devise)
- **Davis** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/davis-vs-devise)
- **devil** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/devil-vs-devise)
- **dense** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/dense-vs-devise)
- **Denis** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/denis-vs-devise)
- **Devin** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/devin-vs-devise)
- **decide** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/decide-vs-devise)
- **device** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/device-vs-devise)
- **desire** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/desire-vs-devise)
- **define** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/define-vs-devise)
- **devils** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/devils-vs-devise)
- **demise** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/demise-vs-devise)
- **Denise** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/denise-vs-devise)

## Common misspellings (8)
`ddevise`, `deivse`, `devies`, `devisse`, `devsie`, `devvise`, `dveise`, `edvise`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/devise