dĕa, ae (dat. and abl. plur.: diis, Varr. R. R. 3, 16, 7; Ins. Orell. 2076: deabus, Cn. Gell. ap. Charis. p. 39 P.; Aug. C. D. 7, 24; 3, 3; Apul. M. 4, p. 156: dis deabusque, Cic. Rab. Perd. 2, 5; id. fragm. ap. Prisc. p. 733 P., IV. 2, p. 451 ed. Orell.; cf. DIVIS DIVABVSQVE, Inscr. ap. Voss. Arist. 4, 4 fin.), f. [deus], a goddess: Juno sancta dearum, Enn. ap. Serv. ad Verg. A. 4, 576 (Annal. v. 65 Vahl.): his diis (i. e. the Muses) Helicona atque Olympon attribuerunt homines, Varr. l. l.; cf. for the same, novem deae, Ov. H. 15, 108; id. A. A. 3, 348; and Thespiades deae, id. M. 5, 310; and only deae, Verg. A. 7, 641: dea, magna dea, Cybebe, dea domina Dindymi, Catull. 63, 91: mille dea est operum: certe dea carminis illa est (sc. Minerva), Ov. F. 3, 833: bellica, the same, id. M. 2, 752: venatrix, i. e. Diana, id. ib. 2, 454: silvarum, the same, id. ib. 3, 163: triplices, i. e. the Fates, ib. ib. 2, 654; cf. triplices poenarum Eumenides, id. ib. 8, 481: siderea, i. e. Night, Prop. 3, 20, 18 (4, 20, 8 M.) et saep. For the combination di deaeque, v. deus; Bona Dea, v. bonus, no. F.
The appellation DEA is freq. on the tombs of women, Inscr. ap. Fea, p. 173; Fabretti, Inscr. p. 266, 106 al.