halve

UK: hɑːv | US: hæv

Definition

  1. vt. to divide something into two equal parts

  2. vt. to reduce something by half

Structure
hal <half>ve <verb-forming suffix>hal <half>
Etymology

The word halve originates from Old English healfian, meaning "to divide into halves." It retains the core concept of "half" (hal) while adopting the verbal suffix -ve to indicate action. This reflects a straightforward evolution from a noun to a verb, preserving the original meaning of division or reduction by 50%.

Examples

  1. She decided to halve the apple and share it with her friend.

  2. The company plans to halve its carbon emissions by 2030.

  3. If we halve the recipe, it will serve four people instead of eight.

  4. The teacher asked the students to halve the paper lengthwise.

  5. To save time, they agreed to halve the workload between them.