non-dividing
|non-di-vid-ing|
🇺🇸
/nɑn.dɪˈvaɪ.dɪŋ/
🇬🇧
/nɒn.dɪˈvaɪ.dɪŋ/
not undergoing division
Etymology
'non-dividing' originates from English, specifically the combination of the prefix 'non-' (from Latin-derived English 'non') meaning 'not' and the present participle 'dividing' of the verb 'divide'.
'divide' changed from Middle English 'dividen' (and Old French 'diviser'/'divider') and ultimately from Latin 'dividere'; the compound form 'non-dividing' is a modern English formation combining 'non-' + present participle.
Initially, forms of 'divide' in older languages meant 'to separate or force apart'; over time the sense broadened to 'separate into parts' and now yields the adjective 'non-dividing' meaning 'not undergoing division' or 'not divisible' depending on context.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Adjective 1
not undergoing division; not dividing (often used of cells or organisms that are not currently dividing).
These cells are non-dividing under the current conditions.
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Adjective 2
not capable of being divided (used less commonly in mathematical or general contexts to indicate something not divisible).
In this context the term non-dividing refers to a quantity that cannot be evenly split.
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Last updated: 2025/10/20 12:36