divorce

¹

[ dih-vawrs ]

noun

1. the act of legally ending a marriage: Compare judicial separation ( def ).

   After the divorce, they shared custody of the children.

2. any formal separation of spouses according to established custom.
3. the act of legally ending a formal contract before its term is up, especially in professional sports:

   If there’s a personality clash between the player and the manager, divorce may be the only way out.

   It’s a guide to corporate divorce, laying out who pays what to whom at the early termination of a contract.

4. a total separation between two things; disunion:

   Activists denounced the divorce between thought and action when it came to protecting human rights.

verb (used with object)

, di·vorced, di·vorc·ing.

1. to legally end the marriage contract between oneself and (one's spouse):

   She divorced her husband.

2. to permanently separate (a couple) through a judicial declaration that ends their marriage contract:

   The judge divorced the couple.

3. to separate or cut off:

   His view of the situation has become totally divorced from reality.

   Synonyms: disjoin, detach, sever, disconnect, divide, dissociate, rupture, disjunction, dissolution, breakup, annulment

verb (used without object)

, di·vorced, di·vorc·ing.

1. to legally end one’s marriage:

   After 16 years together, they divorced.

   I never thought about money till I divorced.

divorcé

²

[ dih-vawr-sey, -vohr-, -vawr-sey, -vohr- ]

noun

1. a divorced man.

divorcé

¹

/ dɪˈvɔːseɪ /

noun

1. a man who has been divorced

divorce

²

/ dɪˈvɔːs /

noun

1. the dissolution of a marriage by judgment of a court or by accepted custom
2. a judicial decree declaring a marriage to be dissolved
3. a separation, esp one that is total or complete

verb

1. to separate or be separated by divorce; give or obtain a divorce (to a couple or from one's spouse)
2. tr to remove or separate, esp completely

Gender Note

See fiancée.

Derived Forms

• diˈvorcive, adjective
• diˈvorceable, adjective
• diˈvorcer, noun

Other Words From

• di·vorce·a·ble adjective
• di·vorc·er noun
• di·vor·cive adjective
• non·di·vorced adjective
• un·di·vorce·a·ble adjective
• un·di·vorced adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of divorce¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin dīvortium “separation,” from dīvort(ere) variant of dīvertere “to turn away” ( divert ) + -ium -ium

Origin of divorce²

First recorded in 1805–15; from French, noun use of masculine past participle of divorcer, from Medieval Latin dīvortiāre “to divorce,” derivative of Latin dīvortium “separation”; divorce

Word History and Origins

Origin of divorce¹

C14: from Old French, from Latin dīvortium from dīvertere to separate; see divert

Example Sentences

Though breakups and divorces don’t typically bring about happy feelings, the big D word certainly is bringing happiness to R&B singer Keyshia Cole.

From Essence.com

I think we might find other people who were married to him or are still married to him and are trying to get an annulment or a divorce and can’t locate him.

From Vox

In 2018, a woman in the northern Somali town of Lasanod told a district court while asking for a divorce that her construction worker husband was spending most of his wages on khat and regularly beating her with electrical wires.

From Ozy

Since her divorce, Scott—who announced a name change from Bezos in July—has emerged as a prominent philanthropist.

From Fortune

Hormones also equip us to handle daily and long-term stresses — such as high-stakes exams or divorce in the family.

From Science News For Students

If you think divorce between two people is messy and traumatic, imagine divorcing yourself.

From The Daily Beast

Just a week after her divorce, she was invited to a wedding by her sister-in-law.

From The Daily Beast

The pair began their relationship in 2007, and went public with it in 2010 after her divorce was finalized.

From The Daily Beast

She moved out a month later, and du Pont subsequently filed for divorce.

From The Daily Beast

Divorce ensued, along with a deluge of humiliating media coverage.

From The Daily Beast

Quite frequently, the statute provides that there shall be no dower in case of divorce for the wife's fault.

From Project Gutenberg

An absolute divorce, even though for the husband's fault, divests the wife of dower, unless her right is saved by statute.

From Project Gutenberg

A husband does not lose his homestead when his wife withdraws from the family under a decree of divorce.

From Project Gutenberg

Adultery is a cause recognized in all of them, for which an absolute divorce can be granted.

From Project Gutenberg

Desertion is a general ground of divorce, the law in every state prescribing a period of time, quite often three years.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• annulment
• breakup
• dissolution
• separation
• split