half

adjpartial
nounone of two equal parts of a whole

Synonyms for half

adj partial

Antonyms for half

Word Origin & History

Old English half, halb (Mercian), healf (W. Saxon) "side, part," not necessarily of equal division (original sense preserved in behalf), noun, adjective, and adverb all in Old English, from Proto-Germanic *khalbas "something divided" (cf. Old Saxon halba, Old Norse halfr, Old Frisian, Middle Dutch half, German halb, Gothic halbs "half"), perhaps from PIE (s)kel- "to cut."

Used also in Old English phrases as in modern German, to mean "one half unit less than," e.g. þridda healf "two and a half," literally "half third." The construction in two and a half, etc., is first recorded c.1200. Of time, in half past ten, etc., first attested 1750; in Scottish, the half often is prefixed to the following hour, as in German (e.g. halb elf "ten thirty"). To go off half-cocked "speak or act too hastily" (1833) is in allusion to firearms going off prematurely.

Example Sentences for half

Moreover, I believe, dearest Eudora, that half your wrongs are in your own imagination.

Half a dozen of Percival's friends sat at the table with them from time to time.

"Nothing but a half loaf, and that's dry enough," muttered the stranger.

The ball of red fire in the west was half below the rim of the distant peak.

I threw off all reserve--about half a pound, I should judge.

His mother lay on a wretched bed in the corner, half stupefied with drink.

The voyage was more than half completed, and nothing of importance had occurred to mark it.

One-half of the pink roses were on the table, and one from the other half was in her hair.

They're really one and a half sizes too small, and almost kill me.

Reached the water at the Two Springs half an hour after dark.

half

Synonyms for half

Antonyms for half

fractions

moiety

piece

pieces

half

Synonyms for half

Antonyms for half

More words related to half

fraction

fractions

moiety

piece

pieces