I. də̇ˈvō(ə)rs, -ȯ(ə)rs, -ōəs, -ȯ(ə)s noun
( -s )
Usage: often attributive
Etymology: Middle English devors, divors, divorse, from Middle French divorse, divorce, from Latin divortium, from divortere, divertere to turn aside, go different ways, leave one's husband — more at divert
1. : a legal dissolution in whole or in part of a marriage relation usually by a court or other body having competent authority:
a. : an absolute dissolution of a valid marriage made by decree of court for lawful cause arising after the marriage — called also divorce a vinculo matrimonii ; distinguished from annulment
b. among some non-Christian peoples : a formal separation of man and wife by the act of one party or by consent according to established custom — see talak
c. : decree of nullity
d. : a divorce a mensa et thoro — compare judicial separation , separation 4a
2. : disunion of things closely united
the divorce between ownership and management in the corporate system — David Fellman
: a complete or final separation
demanded the divorce of the subsidiary from the parent firm
II. “ sometimes dīˈ- in vt sense 1 verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
Etymology: Middle French divorcer, from divorce
transitive verb
1. : separate , disunite
proposed to divorce church and state
divorced himself from the position taken by his colleagues
when the second rocket divorces itself from the first spent rocket — William Stringer
2. : to get rid of (one's spouse) by divorce : dissolve the marriage contract of either wholly or partly : separate by divorce
3. archaic : to put away : remove , banish
intransitive verb
: to obtain a divorce
Synonyms: see separate