subdivide

S1U1B3D2I1V4I1D2E1
/ˌsʌb.dɪˈvaɪd/

verb

To divide into smaller sections.

“This used to be farmland before developers bought it and subdivided it.”

OriginEnglish divide ← Middle English dividen ← Latin dīvidō →
UncommonScrabble 16
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Meanings

verbsubdivide (third-person singular simple present subdivides, present participle subdividing, simple past and past participle subdivided)

present singular third person subdivides · participle present subdividing · participle past subdivided · past subdivided

  1. ambitransitiveTo divide into smaller sections.
    1. ambitransitivebusinessTo divide a plot of land into plots for residences; to convert open land into housing.

      This used to be farmland before developers bought it and subdivided it.

      1 more example

      Several local families recorded plots of land as additions to the town's territory and subdivided them into house lots.

      1993, Historic American Building Survey, Town of Clayburg: Refractories Company Town, National Park Service, 3
  2. ambitransitiveTo divide divisions into smaller divisions.

    The progenies of Cham and Japhet swarmed into colonies, and those colonies were subdivided into many others.

    [1682], [John] Dryden, Religio Laici or A Laymans Faith. A Poem, London: […] Jacob Tonson […], →OCLC

Synonyms & antonyms

Also see
classify

Origin

  1. Proto-Indo-European*upó
  2. Proto-Italic*supo
  3. Latinsub
  4. Latinsub-
  5. Englishsub-
  6. Proto-Indo-European*dwóh₁
  7. Proto-Indo-European*trísinflu.
  8. Proto-Indo-European*d(w)is-
  9. Proto-Italic*dis-
  10. Latindis-
  11. Proto-Indo-European*dwóh₁
  12. Proto-Indo-European*dwi-
  13. Proto-Indo-European*dʰeh₁-
  14. Proto-Indo-European*h₁weydʰh₁-
  15. Proto-Italic*wiðō
  16. Latin*vidō
  17. Latindīvidō
  18. Middle Englishdividen
  19. Englishdivide
  20. Englishsubdivide

From sub- + divide.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Bulgarian подразделям
  • подразделям (podrazdeljam)To divide into smaller sections
Catalan subdividir
  • subdividirTo divide into smaller sections
Dutch onderverdelen
  • onderverdelenTo divide into smaller sections
Finnish jakaa
  • jakaaTo divide into smaller sections
French subdiviser
  • subdiviserTo divide into smaller sections
Italian suddividersi, suddividere
  • suddividersiTo divide into smaller sections
  • suddividereTo divide into smaller sections
Māori roherohe, tūtangatanga
  • roheroheTo divide into smaller sections
  • tūtangatangaTo divide into smaller sections
Polish dzielić wtórnie, dzielić na mniejsze części
  • dzielić wtórnieTo divide into smaller sections
  • dzielić na mniejsze częściTo divide into smaller sections
Portuguese subdividir
  • subdividirTo divide into smaller sections
Romanian subdiviza
  • subdivizaTo divide into smaller sections
Russian подразделя́ть, подраздели́ть
  • подразделя́ть (podrazdeljátʹ)To divide into smaller sections
  • подраздели́ть (podrazdelítʹ)To divide into smaller sections
Spanish subdividir
  • subdividirTo divide into smaller sections
Cite this entry
APA

subdivide. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/subdivide

MLA

“subdivide.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/subdivide. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “subdivide,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/subdivide.

Source: subdivide on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.