half

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   One of two equal parts of something.

   She gave me half of her sandwich.

2. 2
   adv

   Partly, or to the degree of one half.

   We were half hidden behind the bushes.

3. 3
   adj

   Sharing only one parent, used of brothers and sisters.

   She has a half brother from her father's first marriage.

From Middle English half, halfe from Old English healf (“half”); as a noun, 'half', 'side', 'part', from Proto-West Germanic *halb, from Proto-Germanic *halbaz. Cognates Cognate with Old Saxon, Old Frisian, and Old Dutch half, West Frisian heal, Dutch half, German halb, Swedish, Danish and Norwegian halv, Icelandic hálfur and Gothic 𐌷𐌰𐌻𐌱𐍃 (halbs). Compare halve, behalf.

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