Are you listening to some lunatic rant online about conspiracy theories? Don't be surprised if they bring up 'DIVOC.' This post unpacks the meaning and origin of this acronym.
Meaning
The acronym 'DIVOC' is the backward spelling of 'COVID.' It's an online conspiracy started by a Facebook user, which spread through ignorant communities that didn't bother to research it. The original post points to the fact that a 'divoc' is a Hebrew word for 'demon' or ‘possession.'
However, the reality is that there is no such word in Hebrew, with the closest rendition being 'dybbuk' or 'dibbuk.' However, they don't have a similar word structure or spelling, and it's a pretty big stretch to say that it has any resemblance to "DIVOC.'
The COVID-19 disease caused by the coronavirus outbreak in late 2019 has the following abbreviation.
- "CO" stands for "corona."
- "VI" stands for "virus."
- "D" stands for "disease."
The use of the number 19 represents the year of identification, namely, 2019.
There are several conspiracies surrounding COVID-19, but the DIVOC conspiracy holds no water.
Example Usage
“I was just chatting with these people online. They were going on about how COVID is a codeword for DIVOC, which refers to ancient Jewish demonology. Crazy, huh?”
“I think you need to stop visiting websites like 4Chan if you’re going to come up with ridiculous conspiracy theories like DIVOC. That’s just ridiculous.”
“DIVOC is a ridiculous conspiracy theory made up by people with too much time on their hands. Trust me, forget about it and do something else with your life.”
Origin
The origin of the acronym 'DIVOC' comes from the social media platform Facebook. An FB user suggested that 'COVID,' when spelled backward, is 'DIVOC.' Supposedly, 'divoc' means something esoteric and formidable in Jewish culture.
The original 15-second clip on TikTok sees the user explain it as follows.
"Let's see how many people I piss off with this one. COVID backward: D-I-V-O-C. What divoc means in Hebrew is possession of the evil spirit."
The term caught on, with many people mindlessly spreading the conspiracy without fact-checking it first. As a result, 'DIVOC' went viral. However, a 'divoc' isn't a real thing, and no such word exists in the Hebrew language.
In Jewish mysticism, an evil spirit possessing a living person or inanimate object is called a 'dibbuk' or dybbuk.'
Phrases Similar to DIVOC
- RATG-13.
- The VID.
- Chinavirus.
Phrases Opposite to DIVOC
- COVID-19.
What is the Correct Saying?
- DIVOC.
- DIVOC-91
Ways People May Say DIVOC Incorrectly
Despite the conspiracy surrounding ‘DIVOC,’ it’s actually a mispronunciation and misspelling of the Hebrew word ‘Dybbuk’ or ‘Dibbuk.’ A dybbuk is a part of Jewish demon mythology. So, ‘DIVOC’ is not actually a word and shows how easily people are misled into believing conspiracy theories.
Acceptable Ways to Phrase DIVOC
You can use the phrase ‘DIVOC’ when referring to the conspiracy around the COVID-19 virus pandemic. Conspiracy theorists believe there is an esoteric connection to the name of the virus, assuming it refers to an evil demon in Jewish mysticism. However, DIVOC is not a Hebrew word, and there is no evidence supporting the claim that COVID is a demon conspiracy.
There are several forums and message boards like 4Chan and subreddits discussing the acronym and the possibilities for a global conspiracy surrounding the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic. However, none of these forums have any evidence to substantiate their claims.