separate
To divide (a thing) into separate parts.
Verb 4 meanings
To divide (a thing) into separate parts.
“Separate the articles from the headings.”
To disunite from a group or mass; to disconnect.
To cause (things or people) to be separate.
“If the kids get too noisy, separate them for a few minutes.”
To divide itself into separate pieces or substances.
“The sauce will separate if you don't keep stirring.”
Adjective 2 meanings
Apart from (the rest); not connected to or attached to (anything else).
“This chair can be disassembled into five separate pieces.”
Not together (with); not united (to).
“I try to keep my personal life separate from work.”
Noun 2 meanings
Anything that is sold by itself, especially articles of clothing such as blouses, skirts, jackets, and pants.
A printing of an article from a periodical as its own distinct publication and distributed independently, often with different page numbers.
Etymology
From Middle English separaten (“to separate”), from separat (“separated”) + -en, from Latin sēparātus, perfect passive participle of sēparō (“to separate”) (see -ate (verb-forming suffix)), from sē- (“apart”) + parō (“prepare”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *per- (“produce, procure, bring forward, bring forth”).
Similar and opposite words
SEPARATE at a glance
SEPARATE has 8 letters and scores 10 points in Scrabble (S 1 + E 1 + P 3 + A 1 + R 1 + A 1 + T 1 + E 1) and 11 in Words With Friends, before board bonuses. It ranks #1,533 by how often it appears in everyday English. It is valid in ENABLE, NWL2023, Collins/SOWPODS.
Rhymes with separate
All rhymesOne letter away
- SEPARATA10
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