divide
dih-VYD
Divide (verb) means to split something into two or more parts. Example: “Please divide the pizza fairly among all six of us.”
verb
1
To split something into two or more parts.
"Please divide the pizza fairly among all six of us."
"Divide the dough into four equal pieces."
"The river divides the city into east and west halves."
2
In mathematics, to work out how many times one number goes into another.
"If you divide twelve by three, the answer is four."
"The teacher showed the class how to divide large numbers on paper."
"Divide 20 by 4 and you get 5."
3
To cause disagreement or split opinion among a group of people.
"The new school uniform rule has divided parents across the whole town."
"Arguments about the holiday plans divided our family during dinner."
"The proposal divided the committee, with half in favour and half against."
noun
1
A significant difference or gap separating two groups or things.
"There is a wide divide between what the school promises and what happens."
"There's a growing divide between rural and urban voters."
"The digital divide leaves many rural areas without fast internet."
How to use divide
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTo split something into parts, whether that's a cake, a calculation, or people's opinions — or, as a noun, the gap that results.
Common mistake
Remember the sum works as "dividend ÷ divisor = quotient" — the dividend is the number being split up, not the one doing the splitting.
Common pairings
divide opinion
a deep divide
divide by zero
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Word forms
- Plural
- divides
- Third person singular
- divides
- Past tense
- divided
- Archaic forms
- dividest, dividedst, divideth
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
Please _____ the pizza fairly among all six of us.
Etymology
From Middle English dividen, from Latin dīvidere, "to divide" — it replaced the native Old English word tōdǣlan.
Synonyms
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Related words
Rhymes for divide
See all rhymes for divide →Frequently asked questions
What does “divide” mean?
The word “divide” means to split something into two or more parts. In plain terms, to split something into parts, whether that's a cake, a calculation, or people's opinions — or, as a noun, the gap that results.
How do you pronounce “divide”?
“Divide” is pronounced dih-VYD (/dɪˈvaɪd/ in IPA).
How do you use “divide” in a sentence?
Here is “divide” used in a sentence: “Divide the dough into four equal pieces.”
What is another word for “divide”?
Words with a similar meaning to “divide” include becut, decide, discerp, disintegrate, dispart and dissever.
What is the opposite of “divide”?
The opposite of “divide” — its antonyms — are annex, coalesce, combine, join and merge.
What part of speech is “divide”?
Depending on how it is used, “divide” can be a verb and a noun.
Where does the word “divide” come from?
The word “divide” comes from Latin. From Middle English dividen, from Latin dīvidere, "to divide" — it replaced the native Old English word tōdǣlan.
Is “divide” a common word?
“Divide” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A2 level.
What is the difference between divide and separate?
To divide is to split something into two or more parts, often into shares or sections. To separate means to set things apart or keep them from touching, without necessarily breaking one whole into portions, so dividing usually implies partitioning a single thing.
What is the difference between divide and multiply?
In mathematics, to divide is to work out how many times one number goes into another, breaking a quantity into equal parts. To multiply does the opposite, combining equal groups to find a larger total, so the two operations are inverses of each other.
What are common collocations with the word divide?
Divide often appears in phrases such as "divide and conquer," "divide into," "divide among," and "divide up." It also forms fixed expressions like "the great divide" and "a divide between two sides."
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