distribute
UK: dɪˈstrɪbjuːt | US: dɪˈstrɪbjuːt
vt. to divide and give out in shares; to deliver or spread over an area
vt. to arrange or classify into categories
vt. (computing) to share data or tasks across multiple systems
distribute = dis<apart> + tribute<assign>
- dis: A Latin prefix meaning "apart" or "in different directions."
- tribute: From Latin tribuere ("to assign, allot"), derived from tribus ("tribe"), reflecting the ancient practice of dividing resources among tribes.
Etymology Origin:
The word "distribute" originates from Latin distribuere, combining dis- (indicating separation) and tribuere (to assign). Historically, it referred to the fair allocation of goods or responsibilities, often within a tribal or communal context. Over time, its meaning expanded to include spatial spreading (e.g., distributing leaflets) and logical classification (e.g., distributing data). The core idea remains division and systematic allocation.
The charity will distribute food to homeless shelters this weekend.
The teacher asked the students to distribute the cards evenly.
This software can distribute workloads across multiple servers.
The company plans to distribute its products globally next year.
The museum distributed the artifacts into three historical periods.