Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “divide” come from?

Divide comes from Middle English dividen, from Latin divido meaning to separate or distribute, from the prefix dis- combined with a root from Proto-Indo-European dwóh₁ meaning two.

divide (English): To split or separate into two or more parts; To...

Definitions

  1. To split or separate into two or more parts; To...

Ancestry of “divide”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishdividen—
2LatindividoI divide, separate; I distribute, apportion; I...
3Latindis-asunder, apart, in two; reversal, removal;...
4Latincalceusshoe
5Latincalxlimestone; chalk; the finish line
6Ancient Greekχάλιξsmall stone, pebble; gravel, rubble

Words derived from “divide”

  • divider
  • subdivide
  • divideth
  • subdivider
  • dividable
  • redivide
  • undividable
  • individable
  • dividest
  • subdividable
  • redivider
  • misdivide
  • dividerless
Every word from Ancient Greek χάλιξ →