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• split
  split

  verb (used with object)

  to divide or separate from end to end or into layers.
• Split
  Split

  noun

  a seaport in S Croatia, on the Adriatic: Roman ruins.

split

¹ American  

[split] / splɪt /

verb (used with object)

• splits,
  present (3rd person singular)
• split,
  past participle,  past
• splitting
  present participle

1. to divide or separate from end to end or into layers.

   to split a log in two.

2. to separate by cutting, chopping, etc., usually lengthwise.

   to split a piece from a block.

3. to tear or break apart; rend or burst.

   The wind split the sail.

4. to divide into distinct parts or portions (often followed byup ).

   We split up the frosting into separate bowls and made each one a different color.

5. to separate (a part) by such division.

6. to divide (persons) into different groups, factions, parties, etc., as by discord.

   to split a political party.

7. to separate (a group, family, etc.) by such division.

8. to cast (a ballot or vote) for candidates of more than one political party.

9. to divide between two or more persons, groups, etc.; share.

   We split a bottle of wine.

10. to separate into parts by interposing something.

    to split an infinitive.

11. Physics, Chemistry. to divide (molecules or atoms) by cleavage into smaller parts.

12. to issue additional shares of (stock) to existing stockholders without charging them, thereby dividing their interest into a larger number of shares and reducing the price per share.

13. Slang. to leave; depart from.

    Let's split this scene.

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verb (used without object)

• splits,
  present (3rd person singular)
• split,
  past participle,  past
• splitting
  present participle

1. to divide, break, or part lengthwise.

   The board split in half.

2. to part, divide, or separate in any way (often followed byup ).

   The group of children split up into two teams. We'll split up here and meet later.

3. to break asunder, as a ship by striking on a rock.

4. to become separated, as a piece or part from a whole.

5. to part or separate, as through disagreement; sever relations.

   They split up after a year of marriage. He split with the company after a policy dispute.

6. to divide or share something with another or others; apportion.

7. Slang. to leave; depart.

noun

• splits
  plural

1. the act of splitting.

2. a crack, tear, or fissure caused by splitting.

3. a piece or part separated by or as by splitting.

4. a breach or rupture, as between persons, in a party or organization, etc.

5. a faction, party, etc., formed by a rupture or schism.

6. a banana split.

7. especially British, nip.  a bottle for wine or, sometimes, another beverage, containing from 6 to 6½ ounces (170 to 184 grams).

8. a bottle, as of soda, liquor, etc., which is half the usual size.

9. a strip split from an osier, used in basketmaking.

10. Masonry. a brick of normal length and breadth but of half normal thickness, used to give level support to a course of bricks laid over one not level.

11. Often splits the feat of separating the legs while sinking to the floor, until they extend at right angles to the body, as in stage performances or gymnastics.

12. the amount of time it takes to complete a portion of a race, as a leg of a relay race, a lap of a track, half of a marathon, etc..

    Our anchor faded over the last 50 meters of his split, and we missed the podium by six-tenths of a second.

13. Bowling. an arrangement of the pins remaining after the first bowl in two separated groups, so that a spare is difficult.

14. Philately. bisect.

15. one of the layers of leather into which a skin is cut.

16. stock split.

adjective

1. having been split; parted lengthwise; cleft.

2. disunited; divided.

   a split opinion.

3. (of a stock quotation) given in sixteenths instead of eighths of a point.

4. (of a stock) having undergone a split.

idioms

1. split hairs. hair.

2. split the difference. difference.

Split ² American  

[split] / splɪt /

noun

1. a seaport in S Croatia, on the Adriatic: Roman ruins.

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split ¹ British  

/ splɪt /

verb

1. to break or cause to break, esp forcibly, by cleaving into separate pieces, often into two roughly equal pieces

   to split a brick

2. to separate or be separated from a whole

   he split a piece of wood from the block

3. to separate or be separated into factions, usually through discord

4. (often foll by up) to separate or cause to separate through a disagreement

5. to divide or be divided among two or more persons

   split up the pie among the three of us

6. slang to depart; leave

   let's split

   we split the scene

7. (tr) to separate (something) into its components by interposing something else

   to split a word with hyphens

8. slang to betray the trust, plans, etc (of); inform

   he split on me to the cops

9. (tr) politics to mark (a ballot, etc) so as to vote for the candidates of more than one party

   he split the ticket

10. (tr) to separate (an animal hide or skin) into layers

11. to make a fine but needless distinction

12. to laugh very heartily

13. 1. to settle a dispute by effecting a compromise in which both sides give way to the same extent

    2. to divide a remainder equally

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noun

1. the act or process of splitting

2. a gap or rift caused or a piece removed by the process of splitting

3. a breach or schism in a group or the faction resulting from such a breach

4. a dessert of sliced fruit and ice cream, covered with whipped cream, nuts, etc

   banana split

5. See Devonshire split

6. 1. a separated layer of an animal hide or skin other than the outer layer

   2. leather made from such a layer

7. tenpin bowling a formation of the pins after the first bowl in which there is a large gap between two pins or groups of pins

8. informal an arrangement or process of dividing up loot or money

adjective

1. having been split; divided

   split logs

2. having a split or splits

   hair with split ends

Split ² British  

/ split /

noun

1. Italian name: Spalato.  a port and resort in W Croatia on the Adriatic: remains of the palace of Diocletian (295–305). Pop: 188 000 (2005 est)

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• splitter
  noun
• presplit
  adjective
• splittable
  adjective
• unsplit
  adjective
• unsplittable
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• splits
  plural

Participles

• splitting
  present
• split
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• split
  simple
• splits
  simple
• have split
  perfect
• has split
  perfect
• am splitting
  progressive
• are splitting
  progressive
• is splitting
  progressive
• have been splitting
  perfect progressive
• has been splitting
  perfect progressive

Past

• split
  simple
• had split
  perfect
• was splitting
  progressive
• were splitting
  progressive
• had been splitting
  perfect progressive

Future

• will split
  simple
• will have split
  perfect
• will be splitting
  progressive
• will have been splitting
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of split

First recorded in 1570–80; 1950–55 split for def. 13; from Dutch splitten; akin to splijten, German spleissen “to split”

Explanation

If you and your boyfriend split, you are no longer together. If your pants split, they come open at the seam. If both of these happen in the same day, split! (Get out of here!) Split means to come apart or rip in two. It can be used as a verb "let's split the apple in two" or as a noun "be careful to step over the split in the earth left by the quake." It implies some violence. When firemen split open your door, they need an axe to do it.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

split Split splits splitting

This split makes Apple’s release more confusing, so I divided this guide into two parts.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 14, 2026

Jeff Bezos didn’t have one when he split from his first wife, MacKenzie Scott.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 13, 2026

This summer they met again, walking into the Karakoram range, before they would split up for different climbs.

From BBC ● Sep. 11, 2026

What if you had split it up into different time periods?

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 11, 2026

Our eyes catch for a split second before we both look away.

From "Keeping Pace" by Laurie Morrison

At least 1,000 people displaced by the fire were moved into a local sports hall in Omis, south of Split, local officials said.

From Barron's ● Aug. 14, 2026

Split the lobsters lengthwise with a sharp, heavy knife, brush them with butter and grill them once your guests have arrived, since they cook very quickly.

From Salon ● Jul. 12, 2026

Appeared in the June 30, 2026, print edition as 'A Split Decision on Executive Power'.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 29, 2026

He was still a young coach leading Dinamo's second team when Modric joined as a 16-year-old from Zadar, having been overlooked by Hajduk Split.

From BBC ● Jun. 17, 2026

So far in the ancient lands, she’d only seen one place on her wish list: Diocletian’s Palace in Split, and even that visit had hardly gone the way she’d imagined.

From "Blood of Olympus" by Rick Riordan

There are so many categories and so many nominees—too much of a good thing, perchance—that the television academy splits the ceremonies in two: last weekend’s Creative Arts Emmys, and next Monday’s star-studded network extravaganza.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 10, 2026

She says clients use prenups to clarify if they had the pet before marriage, whose pet it is, and what the expectations are if the couple splits or someone dies.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 8, 2026

One of the biggest mysteries has been his extreme home/road splits.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 19, 2026

“The fact is, the splits are stark home-road,” Roberts said.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 16, 2026

A mighty roar from the shore splits the night as a dozen men burst from the darkness.

From "Without Refuge" by Jane Mitchell

It had also argued that splitting up the service would be technically unfeasible.

From Barron's ● Sep. 2, 2026

Dame Rachel said that parents have told her of the "impossible choices" they have made when "splitting time between caring for their seriously ill and disabled children and trying to hold down a job".

From BBC ● Aug. 31, 2026

"And if we fold the map up in a different way, we can compare how different groups of animals took different paths from each other after splitting onto different evolutionary paths."

From Science Daily ● Aug. 25, 2026

Students “already use PayPal and Venmo for rent, for splitting a bill and for paying friends and family back,” said Frank Keller, president of Checkout Solutions and PayPal.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 19, 2026

The only totally truthful thing I’d said lately was when I’d told Markie his folks were splitting up.

From "Liar, Liar" by Gary Paulsen

Related Words

• break
• disband
• divide
• isolate
• open
• rip
• rive
• separate
• sever
• splinter
• tear