divestment

UK: /daɪˈvestmənt/

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

di•vest /dɪˈvɛst, daɪ-/   v. [~ + object + of + object]

1. to remove or strip of clothing:
   He divested himself of his coat and sat down.
2. to take away, deprive, or strip (someone or something), esp. of property or rights:
   The family was divested of its home.
3. to rid of or free from:
   We managed to divest ourselves of responsibility.
4. Business to sell off;
   to get rid of through sale:
   The traders quickly divested themselves of that stock.

di•vest•i•ture, n. [uncountable* countable]

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

di•vest  (di vest′, dī-), v.t. 

1. to strip of clothing, ornament, etc.:
   The wind divested the trees of their leaves.
2. to strip or deprive (someone or something), esp. of property or rights;
   dispossess.
3. to rid of or free from:
   He divested himself of all responsibility for the decision.
4. Law to take away or alienate (property, rights, etc.).
5. Communications, Business
   • to sell off:
     to divest holdings.
   • to rid of through sale:
     The corporation divested itself of its subsidiaries.

• Medieval Latin dīvestīre, equivalent. to dī- di-² + vestīre to dress, vest
• 1595–1605

Synonyms

• 1. unclothe, denude.
• 2. See strip¹. 

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

divest / daɪˈvɛst/ verb (transitive) usually followed by of:

1. to strip (of clothes)
2. to deprive or dispossess

Etymology: 17th Century: changed from earlier devest

divestiture / daɪˈvɛstɪtʃə/, divesture / daɪˈvɛstʃə/, diˈvestment noun