divided

American  

[dih-vahy-did] / dɪˈvaɪ dɪd /

adjective

1. separated; separate.

2. disunited.

3. shared; apportioned.

4. (of a leaf ) cut into distinct portions by incisions extending to the midrib or base.

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divided British  

/ dɪˈvaɪdɪd /

adjective

1. botany another word for dissected

2. split; not united

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Other Word Forms

• dividedly adverb
• dividedness noun
• quasi-divided adjective
• quasi-dividedly adverb
• self-divided adjective
• semidivided adjective
• undivided adjective
• well-divided adjective

Etymology

Origin of divided

First recorded in 1555–65; divide + -ed ²

Explanation

Something that's divided is sectioned or split into parts. A divided political party might be separated into several groups with very different opinions on what the party's priorities ought to be. Things can be physically divided, the way a pizza is when it's cut into eight separate pieces, or the way a highway is when it has a concrete barrier between lanes that go in different directions. There's also a figurative way of being divided, like a divided family that's feuding about something, or divided experts who disagree on the findings of a study. The adjective divided comes from the Latin dividere, "to force apart, cleave, or distribute."

Example Sentences

A stock’s forward P/E ratio is its price divided by the consensus 12-month earnings-per-share estimate among analysts polled by LSEG.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 17, 2026

When LIV Golf launched in 2022, it divided the entire sport into two camps.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 15, 2026

Morgan Stanley has divided the companies into seven categories: raw materials, alloys, propulsion, electronics, parts, launch systems, and satellite operators.

From Barron's • Apr. 13, 2026

“We’re in a divided era right now,” Strickland said.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 12, 2026

Handlers and spies were divided into groups called circuits, with each circuit using its own ciphers.

From "The Woman All Spies Fear" by Amy Butler Greenfield