What does separation mean?
Separation is the process of moving something or someone apart, or the condition of being apart. It is used in many settings: a company may introduce separation between departments, a legal system may mandate the separation of powers, and a couple may announce their separation while remaining married. The word can also describe emotional or physical distance, such as a separation between friends or family members. In family law, a separation commonly refers to spouses living apart without obtaining a divorce, although legal definitions vary. Unlike more specific terms such as segregation or partition, separation is a broad word that focuses on the act or state of dividing or becoming distinct.
nounThe act or process of separating, or the state of being separated. It can refer to physical or organizational division, the end of a relationship, or a formal arrangement in which spouses live apart without divorcing.
- The act or process of separating things or people.
- The state of being apart from someone or something.
- A formal arrangement in which spouses live apart without ending their marriage.
"The separation of the two departments made the organization easier to manage."
"The court ruled that the separation of the assets was unlawful."
"After months of living apart, they decided that their separation was permanent."
Plural separations can refer to multiple divisions, relationships, or legal arrangements involving separation.
"The negotiations resolved several of the outstanding separations between the two organizations."
Separation can describe everything from two colleagues ending a partnership to the legal division of spouses who remain married.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does separation come from?
The word comes from Latin separatio, a noun formed from separare, “to separate.” The Latin verb was built from se-, meaning “apart,” and parare, meaning “to set up” or “prepare.” English borrowed the noun in the medieval period, and it later developed broadly into the modern sense of distinguishing or dividing people, things, or relationships.
Related word forms
How separation is actually used
In legal and personal contexts, separation is often used for the end of a marriage or romantic relationship. In political and social contexts, it commonly refers to the division of groups, institutions, or powers. The phrase trial separation can imply an intended period apart that may later become permanent.
Easily confused with separation
Separation is a general act or condition of becoming apart, whereas segregation usually means the systematic or legally enforced separation of groups.
Division often emphasizes the result of splitting something into parts, while separation can also describe the act of moving apart or a relationship ending.