Separate vs. Seperate — Which is Correct Spelling?
By Tayyaba Rehman & Fiza Rafique — Updated on March 20, 2024
The correct spelling is "Separate," which means to set apart or divide. "Seperate" is an incorrect spelling of the word.
Table of Contents
Which is correct: Separate or Seperate
How to spell Separate?
Separate
Correct Spelling
Seperate
Incorrect Spelling
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Key Differences
"Separate" sounds like "sep-A-rate," and the correct spelling matches the pronunciation.
Divide "Separate" into syllables: sep-a-rate, each has a vowel at the end, making it easier to spell.
Use the mnemonic "There is always a space to separate 'e' and 'a'."
The word "Separate" has "a rat" in the middle; just remember to separate the rat from the rest.
The middle vowel is 'a,' not 'e.' Think of a separate 'a' from 'e.'
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How Do You Spell Seperate Correctly?
Incorrect: The twins hate being seperate from each other.
Correct: The twins hate being separate from each other.
Incorrect: It's important to seperate your personal and professional life.
Correct: It's important to separate your personal and professional life.
Incorrect: We need to seperate the recyclable materials from the trash.
Correct: We need to separate the recyclable materials from the trash.
Incorrect: Can you seperate the eggs for this recipe?
Correct: Can you separate the eggs for this recipe?
Incorrect: The teacher asked us to seperate into groups.
Correct: The teacher asked us to separate into groups.
Separate Definitions
To set apart from others.
Please separate the whites from the colors before laundry.
To distinguish between; differentiate.
It's hard to separate fact from fiction.
To set, force, or keep apart
The referee separated the two boxers.
To put space between; space apart or scatter
Small farms that were separated one from another by miles of open land.
To form a border or barrier between (two areas or groups)
A hedge separates the two yards.
To place in different groups; sort
Separate mail by postal zones.
To differentiate or discriminate between; distinguish
A researcher who separated the various ethnic components of the population sample.
To cause to be distinct or different
His natural talent separates him from all the others in the choir.
To remove from a mixture or combination; isolate.
To cause (one person) to stop living with another, or to cause (a couple) to stop living together, often by decree
She was separated from her husband last year. The couple have been separated for a year.
To terminate a contractual relationship with (someone); discharge.
To come apart; become detached
The lining has separated from the inside of the coat.
To withdraw or break away
The state threatened to separate from the Union.
To part company; go away from each other; disperse
The friends separated at the end of the school year.
To stop living together as a couple
They separated after 10 years of marriage.
To become divided into components or parts
Oil and water tend to separate.
Not touching or adjoined; detached
The garage is separate from the house.
Existing or considered as an independent entity
The reference collection is separate from the rest of the library.
Dissimilar from all others; distinct or individual
A cable made of many separate fibers.
Two people who hold separate views on the issue.
Often Separate Having undergone schism or estrangement from a parent body
Separate churches.
A garment, such as a skirt, jacket, or pair of slacks, that may be purchased separately and worn in various combinations with other garments.
A stereo component that is purchased separately and connected to other components as part of a system.
An offprint of an article.
Apart from (the rest); not connected to or attached to (anything else).
This chair can be disassembled into five separate pieces.
(followed by “from”) Not together (with); not united (to).
I try to keep my personal life separate from work.
(transitive) To divide (a thing) into separate parts.
Separate the articles from the headings.
(transitive) To disunite from a group or mass; to disconnect.
(transitive) To cause (things or people) to be separate.
If the kids get too noisy, separate them for a few minutes.
(intransitive) To divide itself into separate pieces or substances.
The sauce will separate if you don't keep stirring.
(obsolete) To set apart; to select from among others, as for a special use or service.
Anything that is sold by itself, especially articles of clothing such as blouses, skirts, jackets, and pants.
(bibliography) A printing of an article from a periodical as its own distinct publication and distributed independently, often with different page numbers.
To disunite; to divide; to disconnect; to sever; to part in any manner.
From the fine gold I separate the alloy.
Separate thyself, I pray thee, from me.
Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?
To come between; to keep apart by occupying the space between; to lie between; as, the Mediterranean Sea separates Europe and Africa.
To set apart; to select from among others, as for a special use or service.
Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called thaem.
To part; to become disunited; to be disconnected; to withdraw from one another; as, the family separated.
Divided from another or others; disjoined; disconnected; separated; - said of things once connected.
Him that was separate from his brethren.
Unconnected; not united or associated; distinct; - said of things that have not been connected.
For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinnere.
Disunited from the body; disembodied; as, a separate spirit; the separate state of souls.
A separately printed article that originally appeared in a larger publication
A garment that can be purchased separately and worn in combinations with other garments
Act as a barrier between; stand between;
The mountain range divides the two countries
Force, take, or pull apart;
He separated the fighting children
Moses parted the Red Sea
Mark as different;
We distinguish several kinds of maple
Separate into parts or portions;
Divide the cake into three equal parts
The British carved up the Ottoman Empire after World War I
Come apart;
The two pieces that we had glued separated
Divide into components or constituents;
Separate the wheat from the chaff
Arrange or order by classes or categories;
How would you classify these pottery shards--are they prehistoric?
Become separated into pieces or fragments;
The figurine broke
The freshly baked loaf fell apart
Make a division or separation
Discontinue an association or relation; go different ways;
The business partners broke over a tax question
The couple separated after 25 years of marriage
My friend and I split up
Go one's own away; move apart;
The friends separated after the party
Divide into two or more branches so as to form a fork;
The road forks
Independent; not united or joint;
A problem consisting of two separate issues
They went their separate ways
Formed a separate church
Individual and distinct;
Pegged down each separate branch to the earth
A gift for every single child
Standing apart; not attached to or supported by anything;
A freestanding bell tower
A house with a separate garage
Not living together as man and wife;
Decided to live apart
Maintaining separate households
They are separated
Characteristic of or meant for a single person or thing;
An individual serving
Separate rooms
Single occupancy
A single bed
Have the connection undone; having become separate
Forming or viewed as a unit apart.
The garage is separate from the house.
To become disconnected or detached.
The train cars will separate at the next station.
To divide into components or constituents.
The machine separates the liquid from the solids.
Separate Meaning in a Sentence
We use a fence to separate our property from the neighbor's.
It's difficult to separate truth from fiction in his story.
Please separate the laundry into whites and colors.
The river serves to separate the two countries.
Separate the good apples from the bad ones before storage.
You should separate the infected plants to prevent the disease from spreading.
To make a meringue, you first need to separate the egg whites from the yolks.
The new policy will separate the more serious cases for immediate attention.
In the experiment, they had to separate the chemical compounds.
The chef uses a tool to separate the cream from the milk.
Separate your papers into piles for keeping and those for recycling.
Children, please separate into teams for the game.
The bookshelf serves to separate the living room from the dining area.
The company will separate its manufacturing division from its sales division.
They decided to separate after ten years of marriage.
To improve your waste management, separate organic waste from inorganic waste.
She had to separate her professional opinions from her personal feelings.
Separate the facts of the case from speculation before making a decision.
Road construction will separate the neighborhood from the main road temporarily.
During the drill, students were separated into different areas of the school.
You can use a room divider to separate one large room into two smaller spaces.
Use a colander to separate the pasta from the water.
The curtain is used to separate the stage from the audience.
Separate the items you want to keep from those you wish to donate.
Separate Idioms & Phrases
Separate the wheat from the chaff
To distinguish valuable people or things from worthless ones.
The audition process will separate the wheat from the chaff, identifying the most talented performers.
A separate peace
To create a personal tranquility or resolution apart from the main group or conflict.
While the office was embroiled in politics, she made a separate peace, focusing solely on her work.
In a separate vein
Discussing a different topic or theme.
In a separate vein, the manager mentioned the company's upcoming charity event.
Separate but equal
A legal doctrine stating that racial segregation did not violate the Constitution as long as the facilities for each race were equal.
The separate but equal doctrine was eventually overturned by the Supreme Court.
Go our separate ways
To end a relationship or partnership and move in different directions.
After college, we promised to keep in touch even as we went our separate ways.
Common Curiosities
What is the root word of Separate?
Latin word "separatus."
What is the verb form of Separate?
"Separate" is also a verb.
Which vowel is used before Separate?
Depends on the sentence; could be 'a,' 'e,' 'o,' etc.
What is the singular form of Separate?
"Separate."
Which conjunction is used with Separate?
"And" or "or," as in "separate and" or "separate or."
Is Separate an abstract noun?
No, it's primarily an adjective or a verb.
What is the plural form of Separate?
"Separates" for the noun form.
Why is it called Separate?
Derived from Latin "separatus," meaning to divide or set apart.
Which preposition is used with Separate?
"From," as in "separate from."
What is the pronunciation of Separate?
/ˈsɛpəˌreɪt/ for the verb, and /ˈsɛpərɪt/ for the adjective.
Which article is used with Separate?
"A" or "the," depending on the context.
Is Separate a vowel or consonant?
The word contains both vowels and consonants.
Is the Separate term a metaphor?
Not inherently, but it can be used metaphorically.
How many syllables are in Separate?
Three syllables.
Is Separate a collective noun?
No.
Is the word “Separate” a Direct object or an Indirect object?
When used as a verb, it can have a direct object.
What is the opposite of Separate?
Combine, unite.
What is a stressed syllable in Separate?
The first syllable, "Sep," is stressed.
Which determiner is used with Separate?
"A," "an," or "the," depending on the context.
What is the first form of Separate?
Separate.
What is the second form of Separate?
Separated.
Is Separate a negative or positive word?
Neutral; the connotation depends on the context.
Is Separate a countable noun?
When used as a noun, it can be countable.
Is the word Separate imperative?
It can be used in an imperative sentence.
Is the word Separate a Gerund?
"Separating" would be the gerund form.
How do we divide Separate into syllables?
Sep-a-rate.
What is another term for Separate?
Divide, disjoin.
Is Separate a noun or adjective?
It can be both an adjective and a verb.
Is Separate an adverb?
No.
What part of speech is Separate?
It can be both an adjective and a verb.
What is the third form of Separate?
Separated.
How is Separate used in a sentence?
"She decided to separate the papers into different piles."
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Written by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
Co-written by
Fiza RafiqueFiza Rafique is a skilled content writer at AskDifference.com, where she meticulously refines and enhances written pieces. Drawing from her vast editorial expertise, Fiza ensures clarity, accuracy, and precision in every article. Passionate about language, she continually seeks to elevate the quality of content for readers worldwide.
