General
split
What does split mean?
The way a training program divides workouts among muscle groups or movement patterns across the week.
"What split are you running these days?"
Origin
From 1940s jazz and Black American slang meaning to leave. The Beat Generation, defined by restless movement and the road, made 'split' one of its most-used verbs in the 1950s.
Frequently asked questions
What does split mean in beatnik slang?
It means to leave or take off — to clear out of a place. 'Let's split' meant let's get out of here.
Where did split come from?
From 1940s jazz and Black American slang for leaving. Beatniks, obsessed with movement and the road, made it a core verb in the '50s.
Is split still used today?
Yes — 'let's split' survives in casual English, keeping its beat-era meaning of leaving a place.
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