I. də-ˈvȯrs also dī- noun
Etymology: Middle English divorse, from Anglo-French, from Latin divortium, from divertere, divortere to divert, to leave one's husband
Date: 14th century
1. : the action or an instance of legally dissolving a marriage
2. : separation , severance
divorce of the secular and the spiritual
II. verb
( di·vorced ; di·vorc·ing )
Date: 15th century
transitive verb
1.
a. : to end marriage with (one's spouse) by divorce
she divorced her husband
b. : to dissolve the marriage contract between
they were divorced last year
2. : to make or keep separate : separate
divorce church from state
intransitive verb
: to obtain a divorce
Synonyms: see separate
• di·vorce·ment -ˈvȯr-smənt noun