# separation

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˌsɛp.əˈɹeɪ.ʃən/ · frequency rank #5,838

## Definitions
1. The act of disuniting two or more things, or the condition of being separated.
2. The act or condition of two or more people being separated from one another.
3. The act or condition of a married couple living in separate homes while remaining legally married.
4. The act or condition of a married couple living in separate homes while remaining legally married.
5. The place at which a division occurs.
6. An interval, gap or space that separates things or people.
7. An object that separates two spaces.
8. Departure from active duty, while not necessarily leaving the service entirely.

## Etymology
Attested in the 15th Century C.E.; from Middle English separacioun, from Old French separacion, from Latin separatio, separationem. Morphologically separate + -ion.

## Easily confused with
- **separator** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/separation-vs-separator)
- **separatist** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/separation-vs-separatist)
- **separatism** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/separation-vs-separatism)
- **separating** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/separating-vs-separation)

## Common misspellings (15)
`esparation`, `seapration`, `sepaartion`, `separaiton`, `separasion`, `separatino`, `separationn`, `separatoin`, `separattion`, `separration`, `separtaion`, `sepparation`, `sepraation`, `spearation`, `sseparation`

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