undivided

undivided

UK[ˌʌndɪˈvaɪdɪd]US[ˌʌndɪˈvaɪdɪd]
adj

not separated into parts or shared with others; complete or whole.

adj

not distracted; giving full attention.

Morpheme Breakdown

un
divided
un

not

divided

separated

Etymology

the word 'undivided' is a straightforward english formation built upon the verb 'divide,' which traces back to the latin 'dividere,' meaning "to force apart, separate." this latin root itself is thought to derive from the proto-indo-european compound dis- "apart" and weidh- "to separate." the old english negative prefix 'un-' was attached to the past participle 'divided' to create an adjective expressing the state of not being separated. the logic is transparent: from the literal sense of a physical whole not split into pieces, the meaning extended metaphorically to describe complete, exclusive possession or focused, undistracted attention.

Analysis

Structure: un (not) + divided (separated) - un: a prefix of germanic origin (old english) meaning "not," used to form negatives. - divided: from the verb 'divide,' of latin origin (dividere), meaning "to separate into parts." here it functions as the adjectival base.

Examples

she gave the project her undivided attention.

the land was passed down as an undivided estate to the heirs.

his loyalty to the cause remained undivided.