# divide

> English word · Verb · IPA /dɪˈvaɪd/ · frequency rank #5,876

## Definitions
1. To split or separate (something) into two or more parts.
2. To share (something) by dividing it.
3. To cause (a group of people) to disagree.
4. To calculate the number (the quotient) by which you must multiply one given number (the divisor) to produce a second given number (the dividend).
5. To be a divisor of.
6. To separate into two or more parts.
7. Of a cell, to reproduce by dividing.
8. To disunite in opinion or interest; to make discordant or hostile; to set at variance.
9. To break friendship; to fall out.
10. To have a share; to partake.
11. To vote, as in the British parliament and other legislatures, by the members separating themselves into two parties (as on opposite sides of the hall or in opposite lobbies), that is, the ayes dividing from the noes.
12. To mark divisions on; to graduate.
13. To play or sing in a florid style, or with variations.

## Etymology
Etymology tree
Proto-Indo-European *dews-?
Proto-Indo-European *dus-
Proto-Indo-European *dwóh₁
Proto-Indo-European *dwi-
Proto-Indo-European *dwóh₁
Proto-Indo-European *dwís
Latin dis-
▲
Proto-Indo-European *dwi-
Proto-Indo-European *dʰeh₁-
Proto-Indo-European *h₁weydʰh₁-der.
Proto-Italic *wiðō
Latin *vidō
Latin dīvidōder.
Middle English dividen
English divide
 PIE word
 *dwóh₁
From Middle English dividen, from Latin dīvidere (“to divide”). Displaced native Old English tōdǣlan.

## Easily confused with
- **Dixie** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/divide-vs-dixie)
- **divine** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/divide-vs-divine)
- **diving** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/divide-vs-diving)
- **divided** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/divide-vs-divided)
- **divider** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/divide-vs-divider)
- **dividend** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/divide-vs-dividend)
- **dive** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/dive-vs-divide)
- **David** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/david-vs-divide)
- **diode** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/diode-vs-divide)
- **dived** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/dived-vs-divide)
- **decide** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/decide-vs-divide)
- **device** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/device-vs-divide)
- **devise** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/devise-vs-divide)
- **Devine** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/devine-vs-divide)
- **dioxide** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/dioxide-vs-divide)

## Common misspellings (7)
`ddivide`, `diivde`, `divdie`, `divied`, `divvide`, `dviide`, `idvide`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/divide