dimidiate

1 of 2

transitive verb

di·​mid·​i·​ate

də̇ˈmidēˌāt

-ed/-ing/-s

1

archaic : to halve or reduce to the half

2

heraldry : to represent the half of : cut in two : halve

dimidiate

2 of 2

adjective

di·​mid·​i·​ate

-ēə̇t

1

: divided into two equal parts : halved

2

biology : consisting of only one half of the normal : seeming to lack one half or to have one part smaller than the other

dimidiate elytra that cover only half the abdomen are common among certain families of beetles

Word History

Etymology

Transitive verb

Latin dimidiatus, past participle of dimidiare, from di- (from dis- apart) + -midiare (from medius mid)

Adjective

Latin dimidiatus, past participle of dimidiare

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