Etymologically
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divido

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Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [ˈdiː.wɪ.doː][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈdiː.vi.do][1]

Forms

dīvidō (present infinitive dīvidere, perfect active dīvīsī, supine dīvīsum); third conjugation[1]

Etymology

It is inherited from Proto-Italic *dis-wi-þ-e/o-, inherited from Proto-Indo-European *(d)ui-dʰh₁- (“to divide in two, separate”).[2][1] The old verb lost its initial /d/ by dissimilation before the next dental and was strengthened with dis-, another form of the word for “twice”.[2] Georges connects viduus “bereft” with the same root.[3]

Cognate with Sanskrit अविधत् (ávidhat, “allotted”) and Tocharian B wätk- (“to separate, decide”).[2] The OLD also compares Umbrian vetu (“let him divide”).[4]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is found from Plautus onwards,[2] whose cook complains of the steward “who ought to have shared out the money”.[4]

Semantic evolution

It meant to divide something physically, to cleave or split, and to divide into parts or sections, as Varro's dung heap in two parts.[4] Boundaries and rivers were said to divide land, and death divided people, as Horace's Hector and Achilles.[4] Dividere sententiam was to split a motion so that each part could be voted on.[4]

It meant to share out or distribute, as Cato's booty divided man by man, to sort, to classify, as Plato divided nature in three, and to set people at odds.[4] Medieval music theory used it for separating tetrachords.[5] It survives as Italian dividere, Spanish and Portuguese dividir, Romanian divide and French diviser.[1] English divide is from the early 14th century and division from the late 14th.[6]

Timeline

  • c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it for sharing out money.[4][7]
  • 234–149 BC – Cato uses it for dividing booty.[4][7]
  • 116–27 BC – Varro uses it for dividing into parts.[4][7]
  • 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of the soul passing through the sky.[4][7]
  • early 14th century – English divide is first recorded.[6]

Meanings

Verb

  1. To divide, split, cleave.[4][8]
  2. To divide up (into parts).[4][1]
  3. To separate (people).[4][1]
  4. dividere sententiam To divide a motion (for voting).[4]
  5. To share out, distribute.[4][1]
  6. To sort; to classify.[4][1]
  7. To estrange.[4]

Word family

  • dīvidus
  • dīviduus
  • dīvīsē
  • dīvīsibilis
  • dīvīsim
  • dīvīsiō
  • dīvīsor
  • dīvīsūra
  • dīvīsus

Usage notes

Döderlein distinguishes dividere and dirimere, breaking up a whole, from partiri, dividing it in order to share the parts.[9]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
  3. ^ Georges, Karl Ernst (1913–1918), Ausführliches lateinisch-deutsches Handwörterbuch, 8th ed., ed. Heinrich Georges, Hannover; Leipzig: Hahn
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  5. ^ Lexicon musicum Latinum medii aevi (1992–), Munich: Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften; online ed. Wörterbuchnetz
  6. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  7. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  8. ^ Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  9. ^ Döderlein, Ludwig (1874), Döderlein’s Hand-book of Latin Synonymes, tr. H. H. Arnold, Andover: W. F. Draper