Plain English Meaning
A patch of airspace near an airport where controllers are allowed to steer a departing aircraft in any direction at low altitude because the ground and obstacles below have already been checked and cleared.
Full Definition
Designated areas surrounding certain airports where ATC may radar-vector a departing aircraft below the published Minimum Vectoring Altitude (MVA) immediately after takeoff, because the area has been surveyed and certified to be free of obstacles that would otherwise require a higher altitude. A Diverse Vector Area (DVA) provides controllers an alternative to issuing the published instrument departure procedure when terrain and obstacle clearance has already been guaranteed by the area's design.