dividend
UK[ˈdɪvɪdɛnd]US[ˈdɪvɪˌdɛnd]
n
A sum of money paid regularly (typically annually) by a company to its shareholders out of its profits.
n
A number to be divided by another number.
n
An individual share of a divided sum; a benefit from an action or situation.
Morpheme Breakdown
divide
end
divide
to separate
end
noun suffix
Etymology
The word 'dividend' originates from the Latin gerundive form dividendum, meaning "thing to be divided." This term, derived from the verb dividere (to force apart, separate, distribute), entered Middle French as dividende before being adopted into English in the late 15th century. Its initial mathematical sense, referring to a number to be divided, directly reflects this literal Latin construction. The financial meaning, which emerged in the 17th century, applies the same core logic of distribution, where a company's profit is the sum to be divided among its shareholders.
Analysis
Structure: divide (to separate) + end (noun suffix)
- divide: From Latin dividere (to force apart, cleave, distribute), functioning as the core verb root.
- end: A variant of the noun-forming suffix -end, from Latin -endus (gerundive suffix), indicating "thing to be...". Here, it forms a noun meaning "thing to be divided".
Examples
The company announced a quarterly dividend of 20 cents per share.
In the equation 15 ÷ 3 = 5, the number 15 is the dividend.
Peace and stability are the dividends of successful diplomacy.