Divorce

Definition

Divorce refers to the legal dissolution of a marriage by a court or other competent authority. It can also refer more generally to the separation or disconnection of two entities that were once united.

Parts of Speech

• Noun
• Verb

Pronunciation

American English

• IPA Pronunciation: /dɪˈvɔrs/
• Respelling: dih-VORS

British English

• IPA Pronunciation: /dɪˈvɔːs/
• Respelling: dih-VAWS

The pronunciation of "divorce" varies slightly between American and British English, with differences in vowel sounds.

Etymology

The word "divorce" comes from the Latin "divortium," meaning "separation" or "dissolution," from the verb "divertere," meaning "to turn aside." The term entered English in the late Middle Ages, originally referring to both the legal separation of spouses and the broader sense of division or disunion.

Derivatives

• Divorced (adjective)
• Divorcee (noun)
• Divorcing (verb)
• Divorcé (noun - male, borrowed from French)
• Divorcée (noun - female, borrowed from French)

Synonyms

• Dissolution
• Separation
• Annulment

Antonyms

• Marriage
• Union
• Reconciliation

Usage

The term "divorce" is most commonly used in legal and family law contexts to describe the process of ending a marriage. It can also be used metaphorically in broader contexts to describe the separation or disconnection of two previously united entities, such as ideas, business relationships, or social ties.

Related Terms

• Separation: The act of ending cohabitation or marital relations without formal legal divorce.
• Annulment: A legal procedure that declares a marriage null and void, as if it never existed.
• Alimony: Financial support paid to a former spouse following a divorce.

Detailed Definitions

Noun

• The legal dissolution of a marriage by a court or other authority: Refers to the formal end of a marriage recognized by law.
  • Example: "They filed for divorce after ten years of marriage."
• A separation or disconnection: Refers to the figurative or literal splitting of two things that were once connected.
  • Example: "The divorce between politics and ethics has become increasingly apparent."

Verb

• To legally dissolve a marriage: Refers to the act of ending a marriage through legal proceedings.
  • Example: "She decided to divorce him after years of conflict."
• To separate or dissociate something from another: Refers to removing or detaching two entities from each other.
  • Example: "It is difficult to divorce art from its cultural context."