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Added 9 October 2026

split

/splɪt/ verb

In Latin: scindō, partior, findō Wiktionary

verb Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about split at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

To divide fully or partly along a more or less straight line.
He has split his lip.
Of something solid, particularly wood, to break along the grain fully or partly along a more or less straight line.
To share; to divide.
We split the money among three people.

adjective

Divided.
Republicans appear split on the centerpiece of Mr. Obama's economic recovery plan.
Having the middle object (group, module, etc.) equal to the direct sum of the others.
Comprising half decaffeinated and half caffeinated espresso.

noun

A crack or longitudinal fissure.
A breach or separation, as in a political party; a division.
The termination of a romantic relationship.

Origin

Attested since about 1567, from Middle Dutch splitten (“to split”) and/or Middle Low German splitten (“to split”), both ultimately from Proto-West Germanic *splittjan, an intensive form of Proto-West Germanic *splītan (“to split”), from Proto-Germanic *splītaną (whence Danish splitte, Low German splieten, German spleißen), from Proto-Indo-European *(s)pley- (“to split, splice”). Compare Middle English ysplett (“split”, past participle of splatten (“to split”)), Old English speld (“splinter”), Old High German spaltan (“to split”), Middle Irish slis (“splinter”), Lithuanian spaliai (“flax sheaves”), Czech půl (“half”), Old Church Slavonic рас-плитати (ras-plitati, “to cleave, split”).

From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)

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