Definition of divorce
2
: separation, severance
- divorce of the secular and the spiritual
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Examples of divorce in a Sentence
Since getting a divorce, she has been raising her children alone.
They went through a lengthy divorce.
Their marriage ended in divorce.
Financial problems are a leading cause of divorce.
Origin and Etymology of divorce
Middle English divorse, from Anglo-French, from Latin divortium, from divertere, divortere to divert, to leave one's husband
NEW! Time Traveler
First Known Use: 14th century
in the meaning defined at sense 1
See Words from the same yearOther Legal Terms
Definition of divorce
divorced;
divorcing
1
law
a
: to legally dissolve one's marriage with : to end marriage with (one's spouse) by divorce (see 1divorce 1)
- She divorced her husband.
b
: to dissolve the marriage contract between
- They were divorced last year.
- They are getting divorced.
2
: to make or keep separate : separate
- divorce church from state
- media narratives divorced from reality
law
: to obtain a divorce
- They divorced two years later.
Examples of divorce in a Sentence
After years of unhappiness, she decided to divorce him.
They both agreed it was best to divorce.
Their constitution divorces church and state.
Origin and Etymology of divorce
see 1divorce
NEW! Time Traveler
First Known Use: 15th century
in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1
See Words from the same yeardivorce Synonyms
Synonyms
break up, disassociate, disconnect, disjoin, disjoint, dissever, dissociate, disunite, divide, part, ramify, resolve, separate, sever, split, sunder, uncouple, unlink, unyoke;
Near Antonyms
assemble, associate, blend, combine, mingle, mix;
accumulate, agglutinate, attach, bind, cement, close, fasten, fuse, knit, stick, weld;
Related Words
break down, decompose, disassemble, disintegrate, dissolve;
bisect, cleave, dissect, halve, partition, quarter, segment, subdivide, trisect;
break, fracture, pull, rend, rift, rip, rive, rupture, tear;
Synonym Discussion of divorce
separate, part, divide, sever, sunder, divorce mean to become or cause to become disunited or disjointed. separate may imply any of several causes such as dispersion, removal of one from others, or presence of an intervening thing.
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- separated her personal life from her career
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- vowed never to part
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- civil war divided the nation
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- a severed limb
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- a city sundered by racial conflict
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- cannot divorce scientific research from moral responsibility
Definition of divorcé
: a divorced man
First Known Use of divorcé
1877
DIVORCE Defined for English Language Learners
Definition of divorce for English Language Learners
-
: the ending of a marriage by a legal process
-
: a complete separation between two things
divorce
Definition of divorce for English Language Learners
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: to legally end your marriage with (your husband or wife)
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: to make or keep (something) separate
DIVORCE Defined for Kids
Definition of divorce for Students
: a legal ending of a marriage
Definition of divorce for Students
divorced;
divorcing
: to end a marriage legally : get a divorce
Law Dictionary
legal Definition of divorce
: the dissolution of a valid marriage granted especially on specified statutory grounds (as adultery) arising after the marriage — compare annulment
Note:
The most common grounds for divorce are absence from the marital home, drug or alcohol addiction, adultery, cruelty, conviction of a crime, desertion, insanity, and nonsupport.
—
absolute divorce
: a divorce that completely and permanently dissolves the marital relationship and terminates marital rights (as property rights) and obligations (as fidelity)
—
divorce a mensa et thoro
\-ˌā-ˈmen-sə-ˌet-ˈthȯr-ō, -ˌä-ˈmen-sä-ˌet-ˈthō-rō\
: a separation governed by a court order : legal separation
—
divorce a vinculo matrimonii
\-ˌā-ˈviŋ-kyu̇-ˌlō-ˌma-trə-ˈmō-nē-ˌī, -ˌä-ˈviŋ-kü-ˌlō-ˌmä-trē-ˈmō-nē-ˌē\
: absolute divorce in this entry
—
limited divorce
: an intentional cessation of cohabitation between spouses : separation
—
no-fault divorce
: an absolute divorce that is not based on either spouse's fault and that is granted usually on the grounds of an irretrievable breakdown or when the spouses have lived apart for a statutorily specified period of time
Origin and Etymology of divorce
Middle French, from Latin divortium, from divortere, divertere to leave one's marriage partner, from di- away, apart + vertere to turn
legal Definition of divorce
divorced;
divorcing
1
: to dissolve the marriage of (a spouse) by judgment or decree of divorce
2
: to sever the marital relationship with (a spouse) by means of a judgment or decree of divorce
: to obtain a divorce
Learn More about divorce
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See words that rhyme with divorce Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for divorce Spanish Central: Translation of divorce Nglish: Translation of divorce for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of divorce for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about divorce
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