Origin: 1400–50; late Middle English (noun and adj.) <
Latin sēparātus (past participle of
sēparāre), equivalent to
sē- se- +
par(
āre) to furnish, produce, obtain,
prepare +
-ātus -ate1 Related forms sep·a·rate·ly, adverb
sep·a·rate·ness, noun
non·sep·a·rat·ing, adjective
pre·sep·a·rate, verb (used with object), pre·sep·a·rat·ed, pre·sep·a·rat·ing.
re·sep·a·rate, verb, re·sep·a·rat·ed, re·sep·a·rat·ing.
un·sep·a·rate, adjective
un·sep·a·rate·ly, adverb
un·sep·a·rate·ness, noun
un·sep·a·rat·ed, adjective
un·sep·a·rat·ing, adjective
well-sep·a·rat·ed, adjective
Synonyms
1, 2. sever, sunder, split. Separate, divide imply a putting apart or keeping apart of things from each other. To separate is to remove from each other things previously associated: to separate a mother from her children. To divide is to split or break up carefully according to measurement, rule, or plan: to divide a cake into equal parts. 3. disjoin, disengage. 13. unattached, severed, discrete. 15. secluded, isolated. 16. independent.
Antonyms
1–3. unite, connect.