halve

verb

ˈhav How to pronounce halve (audio)
ˈhäv
halved; halving

transitive verb

1
a
: to divide into two equal parts
b
: to reduce to one half
halving the present cost
c
: to share equally
2
golf : to play (a hole, round, or match) in the same number of strokes as one's opponent
I lost the next two holes to pars, then halved the fourth by missing an easy putt.David Owen

Examples of halve in a Sentence

The store is halving the price of many summer items.
Recent Examples on the Web Plus, Bitcoin’s upcoming halving event, where the reward for mining its transactions is cut in half, is expected to push the top cryptocurrency to new heights. Vinamrata Chaturvedi, Quartz, 19 Mar. 2024 This population has almost halved since 2015, when then-Labour party leader Ed Miliband pledged to scrap the status. Ben Stupples, Fortune Europe, 6 Mar. 2024 After nearly halving early in the day, the stock surged nearly 30% after the announcement, only to give it all up and then swivel before ending with a gain of 7.5%. Stan Choe, Fortune, 6 Mar. 2024 As a result, the cost of bus travel in Christchurch was halved, dropping an adult single fare to NZ$1.30 with a MetroCard, or NZ$2.10 cash. Laurie Winkless, Forbes, 28 Feb. 2024 South Korea’s demographic crisis has become the top risk to economic growth and the social welfare system, with the country’s population of 51 million on track to halve by the end of this century. Reuters, NBC News, 28 Feb. 2024 The hotel uses halved roasted Roma tomatoes to prevent the juice from ruining the flavor and color of the creamy white sauce. Robin Roenker, Southern Living, 6 Mar. 2024 It was all served atop roasted marble potatoes, halved so the starchy flesh could soak up the rich juices from the meat. Rachel Bernhard, Journal Sentinel, 5 Mar. 2024 China’s birthrate has nearly halved since 2016 and about 15 percent of the population is age 65 or older — a figure likely to grow to more than 20 percent by 2030. Chris Buckley, New York Times, 5 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'halve.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from half half

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of halve was in the 13th century

Dictionary Entries Near halve

Cite this Entry

“Halve.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/halve. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

halve

verb
ˈhav How to pronounce halve (audio)
ˈhȧv
halved; halving
1
: to divide into two halves
2
: to reduce to one half
halving the cost

More from Merriam-Webster on halve

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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