divest
UK: daɪˈvest | US: daɪˈvest
vt. to deprive someone of power, rights, or possessions
vt. to sell off assets or investments
vt. (reflexive) to rid oneself of a quality or role
divest = di<away> + vest<clothe>
- di- (prefix): Variant of "dis-," meaning "away" or "apart" (from Latin dis-).
- vest (root): From Latin vestis ("garment"), later generalized to mean "clothe" or "cover."
Etymology Origin:
The word divest originally meant "to unclothe" (literally "strip away garments"), derived from Latin disvestire. Over time, it evolved metaphorically to signify stripping away abstract things like power, assets, or roles. The financial sense ("sell off assets") emerged in the 17th century, aligning with the idea of removing holdings.
The court ordered the company to divest its monopolistic subsidiaries.
She decided to divest herself of all unnecessary responsibilities.
Activists urged the university to divest from fossil fuel investments.
The dictator was divested of his authority after the revolution.
He slowly divested his antique collection to fund his travels.