halve

verb

ˈhav 

ˈhäv

halved; halving

transitive verb

1

a

: to divide into two equal parts

b

: to reduce to one half

halving the present cost

c

: to share equally

2

golf : to play (a hole, round, or match) in the same number of strokes as one's opponent

I lost the next two holes to pars, then halved the fourth by missing an easy putt.

—David Owen

Examples of halve in a Sentence

The store is halving the price of many summer items.

Recent Examples on the Web

Meanwhile, break the cauliflower into small florets, halving or quartering the larger ones, and rinse well. —Carole Kotkin, Miami Herald, 16 June 2026

Kumato or beefsteak tomatoes, halved, in a large bowl. —Nina Moskowitz, Bon Appetit Magazine, 15 June 2026

La Baule’s most unique class is its Saturday-afternoon Derby, a marathon effort that spans 26 jumping efforts and over two minutes of jumping — a far cry from a jump-off class, which halves that time and effort in the first round, and halves it again in its against-the-clock finale. —Tilly Berendt, New York Times, 13 June 2026

Private investment growth in the 2020s has more than halved relative to the previous decade. —Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 12 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from half half

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for halve

• calve
• have
• nav
• mohave

Kids Definition

halve

verb

ˈhav 

ˈhȧv

halved; halving

1

: to divide into two halves

2

: to reduce to one half

halving the cost