subdivide

Everyday

1. To subdivide is to divide something that has already been divided into even smaller parts. tree →
2. (land, homes) To subdivide land is to split a big piece of land into smaller plots for houses (especially USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand). tree →

In the lessons

In maths, you might divide a shape into halves, then subdivide each half into quarters, or subdivide a number line into tenths. In science, groups of animals are subdivided into smaller groups (classes, orders, families). In geography and everyday life, a «subdivision» is a new housing area made by subdividing land. Phrases: «subdivide into», «further subdivided».

Examples

• We divided the square into four and then subdivided each part into four again. tree →
• Each centimetre on a ruler is subdivided into ten millimetres. tree →
• Animals are subdivided into smaller and smaller groups. tree →
• The farmer subdivided his land and sold it for houses. tree →
• The teacher subdivided our group into pairs. tree →
• The chapter is subdivided into short sections. tree →

Note

«Sub-» means «under» or «smaller»; subdivide = divide again. In maths: if a whole is divided into 4 parts and each is subdivided into 3, there are 4 × 3 = 12 smaller parts. Noun: «subdivision».