separate

Meanings

1. 1
   verb

   To divide something into parts, or to keep things or people apart.

   Please separate the articles from the headings.

2. 2
   verb

   To pull people or animals apart, especially to stop a fight.

   I separated the fighting children before anyone got hurt.

3. 3
   verb

   To come apart, or to break into different parts.

   The sauce will separate if you don't keep stirring.

4. 4
   adj

   Not joined or connected; existing on its own.

   The children sleep in separate rooms.

From Middle English separaten (“to separate”), from separat (“separated”) + -en, from Latin sēparātus, perfect passive participle of sēparō (“to separate”) (see -ate (verb-forming suffix)), from sē- (“apart”) + parō (“prepare”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *per- (“produce, procure, bring forward, bring forth”). Displaced Middle English scheden, from Old English scēadan (whence English shed). Doublet of sever, also derived from the same Latin verb.

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