indivisible
Meaning
unable to be divided or separated into parts.
(mathematics) (of a number) unable to be divided by another number exactly without leaving a remainder.
Structure
Usage
For many, the bond between a mother and her child is indivisible.
The concept of an indivisible atom was overturned by modern physics.
The committee argued that the budget package was an indivisible whole and must be voted on as such.
Etymology
The word 'indivisible' is a direct borrowing from late latin 'indivisibilis', which itself was formed within latin. It is constructed from the negative prefix 'in-' combined with the root 'divis-' (from 'dividere', "to divide") and the adjectival suffix '-ibilis'. The core semantic journey is straightforward: the literal meaning "not capable of being divided" has remained remarkably stable from its classical latin origins to its modern english usage. This logical construction, where the negation of an action's possibility is encoded via prefix and suffix, is a hallmark of learned vocabulary entering english via latin and french. The term gained significant philosophical and political weight, most famously in the american pledge of allegiance describing the nation as "one nation under God, indivisible," emphasizing a unity that cannot be broken apart.
Analysis
- in: a latin prefix meaning "not" or "without". - divis: from the latin verb 'dividere', meaning "to separate, force apart, distribute". - ible: a latin-derived suffix forming adjectives meaning "capable of, fit for, or worthy of".