separative

UK: /ˈsɛpərətɪv/

US: /ˈsɛpəˌreɪtɪv, -ərə-, -ˈsɛprə-/

US: (sep′ər ə tiv, -ə rā′-)

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

sep•a•ra•tive  (sep′ər ə tiv, -ə rā′-), adj. 

1. tending to separate.
2. causing separation.

• Late Latin sēparātīvus, equivalent. to Latin sēparāt(us) separate + -īvus -ive
• 1585–95

sep′a•ra′tive•ly, adv. 
sep′a•ra′tive•ness, n. 

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

separative / ˈsɛpərətɪv ˈsɛprə-/ adjective

1. tending to separate or causing separation

ˈseparatively adverb

ˈseparativeness noun

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

sep•a•ra•tion /ˌsɛpəˈreɪʃən/   n. 

1. an act or instance of separating or the state of being separated:
   [uncountable] the separation of church and state.
2. [countable]
   • a place, line, or amount of parting:
     The dotted lines on the map mark the separations between the counties.
   • an opening; a gap or hole:
     a small separation on the hem of his pants.
3. a formal act of separating by a married couple:
   [countable] ordered a trial separation of six months.

sep•a•ra•tive /ˈsɛpəˌreɪtɪv, -ərə-, -ˈsɛprə-/  adj. See -pare-¹.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

sep•a•ra•tion  (sep′ə rā′shən), n. 

1. an act or instance of separating or the state of being separated.
2. a place, line, or point of parting.
3. a gap, hole, rent, or the like.
4. something that separates or divides.
5. Law
   • cessation of conjugal cohabitation, as by mutual consent.
   • See judicial separation. 
6. [Aerospace.] the time or act of releasing a burned-out stage of a rocket or missile from the remainder.
7. Photography See separation negative. 

• Latin sēparātiōn- (stem of sēparātiō), equivalent. to sēparāt(us) separate + -iōn- -ion
• late Middle English 1375–1425