separate

The definition of separate is to pull apart, disconnect or divide.

(verb)

An example of separate is pulling a piece of string cheese off of the whole piece of cheese.
An example of separate is removing the charger from an mp3 player.
An example of separate is when a husband and wife no longer live together.

Separate is defined as something or someone not connected to anything or anyone else.

(adjective)

An example of separate is an issue brought up at a meeting that isn't related to any other issues covered.

See separate in Webster's New World College Dictionary

to set or put apart into sections, groups, sets, units, etc.; cause to part; divide; disunite; sever
to see the differences between; distinguish or discriminate between
to keep apart by being between; divide: a hedge that separates the yards
to bring about a separation between (a husband and wife)
to single out or set apart from others for a special purpose; sort; segregate
to take away (a part or ingredient) from a combination or mixture
to discharge; specif.,
1. to release from military service
2. ☆ to dismiss from employment
to dislocate (a body joint)

Origin: ME separaten < L separatus, pp. of separare, to separate < se-, apart (see secede) + parare, to arrange, prepare

intransitive verb

adjective

set apart or divided from the rest or others; not joined, united, or connected; severed
not associated or connected with others; having existence as an entity; distinct; individual
thought of or regarded as having individual form or function: the separate parts of the body
of or for one only; not shared or held in common: separate beds
Archaic withdrawn from others; solitary

noun

offprint
coordinated articles of dress worn as a set or separately in various combinations

Related Forms:

See separate in American Heritage Dictionary 4

verb sep·a·rat·ed, sep·a·rat·ing, sep·a·rates

verb, transitive

a. To set or keep apart; disunite.
b. To space apart; scatter: small farms that were separated one from another by miles of open land.
c. To sort: separate mail by postal zones.
To differentiate or discriminate between; distinguish: a researcher who separated the various ethnic components of the population sample.
To remove from a mixture or combination; isolate.
To part (a couple), often by decree: She was separated from her husband last year.
To terminate a contractual relationship, as military service, with; discharge.

verb, intransitive

adjective (sĕpˈər-ĭt, sĕpˈrĭt)

Set or kept apart; disunited: Libraries often have a separate section for reference books.
a. Existing as an independent entity.
b. often Separate Having undergone schism or estrangement from a parent body: Separate churches.
Dissimilar from all others; distinct: “a policeman's way of being separate from you even when he was being nice” (John le Carré).
Not shared; individual: two people who held separate views on the issue.
Archaic Withdrawn from others; solitary.