Added 5 October 2026
divorce
/dɪˈvɔːs/ noun
In Latin: dīvortium, diversiō Wiktionary
noun Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about divorce at Wordnik → Where our words come from →
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The legal dissolution of a marriage.
Richard obtained a divorce from his wife some years ago, but hasn't returned to the dating scene.
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A separation of connected things.
The Civil War split between Virginia and West Virginia was a divorce based along cultural and economic as well as geographic lines.
- The separation of a bonded pair of animals.
verb
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To legally dissolve a marriage between two people.
A ship captain can marry couples, but cannot divorce them.
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To end one's own marriage to (a person) in this way.
Lucy divorced Steve when she discovered that he had been unfaithful.
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To obtain a legal divorce.
Edna and Simon divorced last year; he got the house, and she retained the business.
Origin
Derived from Old French divorce, from Latin dīvortium, from dīvertere (“to turn aside”), from dī- (“apart”) + vertere (“to turn”); see verse.
From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)