/ dɪˈvɔːs; NAmE dɪˈvɔːrs/ noun , verb
■ noun
1.
[ U , C ] the legal ending of a marriage :
The marriage ended in divorce in 1996.
an increase in the divorce rate (= the number of divorces in a year)
They have agreed to get a divorce .
Divorce proceedings (= the legal process of divorce) started today.
—compare separation
2.
[ C , usually sing. ] ( formal ) divorce (between A and B) a separation; the ending of a relationship between two things :
the divorce between religion and science
■ verb
1.
to end your marriage to sb legally :
[ vn ]
They're getting divorced .
She's divorcing her husband.
[ v ]
I'd heard they're divorcing.
2.
[ vn ] [ often passive ] ( formal ) divorce sb/sth from sth to separate, a person, an idea, a subject, etc. from sth; to keep two things separate :
They believed that art should be divorced from politics.
When he was depressed, he felt utterly divorced from reality.
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WORD ORIGIN
late Middle English : the noun from Old French divorce , from Latin divortium , based on divertere , from di- aside + vertere to turn; the verb from Old French divorcer , from late Latin divortiare , from divortium .