Separate Very Common

Origin: Latin suffix -ate

Separate has 22 different meanings across 3 categories:

Noun · Verb · Adjective

Definitions

Noun

a separately printed article that originally appeared in a larger publication

"The magazine included a separate piece on climate policy that was first published in The New York Times last year."

offprint reprint separate

a garment that can be purchased separately and worn in combinations with other garments

"She bought a crisp white shirt to wear as a separate piece with her denim shorts or black trousers."

separate

Anything that is sold by itself, especially articles of clothing such as blouses, skirts, jackets, and pants.

"I bought a separate top to go with my skirt since I wanted more variety in my outfits."

"The separate in this office building is on the third floor."

Verb

act as a barrier between; stand between

"The mountain range divides the two countries"

separate divide

force, take, or pull apart

"He separated the fighting children"

"Moses parted the Red Sea"

separate disunite divide part

mark as different

"We distinguish several kinds of maple"

distinguish separate differentiate secern secernate severalize severalise tell tell apart

separate into parts or portions

"divide the cake into three equal parts"

"The British carved up the Ottoman Empire after World War I"

divide split split up separate dissever carve up

divide into components or constituents

"Separate the wheat from the chaff"

separate

arrange or order by classes or categories

"How would you classify these pottery shards--are they prehistoric?"

classify class sort assort sort out separate

make a division or separation

"The security guard had to separate the two arguing fans before they could cause any damage."

separate divide

discontinue an association or relation; go different ways

"The business partners broke over a tax question"

"The couple separated after 25 years of marriage"

"My friend and I split up"

separate part split up split break break up

go one's own way; move apart

"The friends separated after the party"

separate part split

become separated into pieces or fragments

"The figurine broke"

"The freshly baked loaf fell apart"

break separate split up fall apart come apart

treat differently on the basis of sex or race

"The new policy was criticized for allegedly separating employees into different teams based solely on their gender."

discriminate separate single out

come apart

"The two pieces that we had glued separated"

separate divide part

divide into two or more branches so as to form a fork

"The road forks"

branch ramify fork furcate separate

To divide (a thing) into separate parts.

"The chef carefully separated the eggs so that the yolks and whites could be used for different recipes."

In plain English: To separate means to pull two things apart so they are no longer touching or connected.

"Please separate the vegetables from the meat before cooking them."

Adjective

independent; not united or joint

"a problem consisting of two separate issues"

"they went their separate ways"

"formed a separate church"

separate

standing apart; not attached to or supported by anything

"a freestanding bell tower"

"a house with a separate garage"

freestanding separate

separated according to race, sex, class, or religion

"separate but equal"

"girls and boys in separate classes"

separate

have the connection undone; having become separate

"After the storm tore through the neighborhood, many houses had their roofs completely separated from their walls."

disjoined separate

Apart from (the rest); not connected to or attached to (anything else).

"The single detached garage sits far apart from the main house, completely separate from any other buildings on the property."

In plain English: Separate means being apart from someone or something else and not connected to them.

"The separate rooms on the second floor have their own entrances."

Usage: Use separate as an adjective before the noun it describes, such as in "a separate room," rather than after the verb. Do not confuse this with the verb form when you need a modifier that indicates distinctness from other items.

Example Sentences

"The separate rooms on the second floor have their own entrances." adj

"The separate in this office building is on the third floor." noun

"Please separate the vegetables from the meat before cooking them." verb

See Also

divided unshared segregated independent individual other divide isotron

Related Terms

divided unshared segregated independent individual other divide isotron anaphase separating castle chromatograph rope off fractionalize polydiverse diverse partition separates unnest stand alone

Antonyms

unify joint

Broader Terms (hypernyms)

article garment move identify change integrity categorize distinguish change diverge

Narrower Terms (hyponyms)

compartmentalize polarize sequester disjoin disjoint disconnect cut tear joint gin break sever know discriminate label sex individualize contrast have the distinction severalize contradistinguish decouple demarcate stratify subdivide format sectionalize triangulate unitize lot parcel sliver paragraph canton Balkanize decompose dialyse peptize macerate tease filter extract fractionate sift wash disperse avulse catalogue isolate refer reclassify size dichotomize pigeonhole group grade count partition rail detach shut off give the axe disunify disassociate break with divorce secede break up diffract burst puncture smash ladder snap crush hive off segregate redline disadvantage calve chip segment reduce dismember gerrymander arborize twig bifurcate trifurcate

Origin

The word separate entered English in the Middle Ages from Latin, where it originally meant to set apart or divide. It eventually replaced an older native English term for cutting or splitting, while remaining a doublet with the related word sever.

Rhyming Words

ate bate late gate kate date wate cate rate nate oate sate tate jate hate mate fate yate agate skate

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