What does "half" mean?
One of two usually roughly equal parts into which anything may be divided, or considered as divided.
Half
/hɑːf/ adj, adv, intj, noun, prep, verb, slang
adj, adv, intj, noun, prep, verb, slang ·Very common ·Middle school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: One of two usually roughly equal parts into which anything may be divided, or considered as divided.
- Grammar: half is listed as adj, adv, intj, noun, prep, verb, slang.
- Nearest alternatives: one-half, allotment, allowance, big end.
- Useful contrasts: double, whole, all.
- Usage evidence: Half a million children still face malnutrition in Niger.
How to use "half"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "half" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "half" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "half" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "half" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "half" is acting as adj, adv, intj, noun, prep, verb, slang in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "one-half" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "half", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 One of two usually roughly equal parts into which anything may be divided, or considered as divided.
"I ate the smaller half of the apple."
- 2 one of two equal parts of a divisible whole wordnet
- 3 One of two usually roughly equal parts into which anything may be divided, or considered as divided.; One of two equal periods into which a game is divided.
"An association football match usually consists of two halves of 45 minutes each."
- 4 one of two divisions into which some games or performances are divided: the two divisions are separated by an interval wordnet
- 5 One of two usually roughly equal parts into which anything may be divided, or considered as divided.; One of the two opposite parts of the playing field of various sports, in which each starts the game.
"However, the hosts hit back and hit back hard, first replacement hooker Andrew Hore sliding over, then Williams careering out of his own half and leaving several defenders for dead before flipping the ball to Nonu to finish off a scintillating move."
Show 8 more definitions
- 6 Half of a standard measure, chiefly:; half a pint of beer or cider. (Refusing a pint) Just a half, thank you. (Offering to top up a pint glass) Do you want a half in that? (Minimizing the amount of drink taken) A swift half at the Pear Tree. British
"He came back with a pint of Guinness for me and a half of bitter for Wendy."
- 7 Half of a standard measure, chiefly:; A barrel measure of 27 gallons (half a hogshead).
"Barrels came in firkins, nine gallons; kilderkins, eighteen gallons; halves, twenty-seven gallons; barrels, thirty-six gallons and hogsheads, fifty-four."
- 8 The fraction obtained by dividing 1 by 2.
"Three-quarters minus a quarter is a half."
- 9 Any of the three terms at Eton College, for Michaelmas, Lent, and summer.
- 10 A half sibling. slang
"So for Richard and Barbara, Jeff and Kari, the impossibly varied collection of steps and halves that is another legacy of my father."
- 11 A child ticket. Two and a half to Paddington. UK, dated
- 12 abbreviated form for half marathon.
- 13 Clipping of half-dollar. abbreviation, alt-of, clipping
"Tonight, we're offering the last of the Walking Liberty Halves for awhile:^([sic])"
Verb
- 1 To halve. obsolete, transitive
Adjective
- 1 Consisting of a half (½, 50%). not-comparable
"a half kilo"
- 2 Consisting of some indefinite portion resembling a half; approximately a half, whether more or less; partial; imperfect. not-comparable
"a half truth"
- 3 Having one parent (rather than two) in common. not-comparable
"A half brother or half sister"
- 4 Related through one common grandparent or ancestor rather than two. not-comparable
"A half uncle or half aunt or half cousin"
Adjective
- 1 consisting of one of two equivalent parts in value or quantity wordnet
- 2 (of siblings) related through one parent only wordnet
- 3 partial wordnet
Adverb
- 1 In two equal parts or to an equal degree. not-comparable
- 2 In some part approximating a half. not-comparable
- 3 Partially; imperfectly. not-comparable
"half-colored"
- 4 Practically, nearly. not-comparable
"To be a King, is halfe to bee a God."
Adverb
- 1 partially or to the extent of a half wordnet
Preposition
- 1 Half past; a half-hour (30 minutes) after the last hour. Ireland, UK
"The time is 9:30; it is half nine."
- 2 A half-hour to (preceding) the next hour. rare
"In some countries, "half seven" means 6:30."
Intj
- 1 A call reminding performers that the performance will begin in thirty minutes.
Synonyms
All synonymsExample
"Half a million children still face malnutrition in Niger."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "half"?
Common synonyms include: one-half, allotment, allowance, big end, bigger half, bisect.
How do you use "half" in a sentence?
Half a million children still face malnutrition in Niger.
How do you pronounce "half"?
Pronounced /hɑːf/.
Etymology
From Middle English half, halfe from Old English healf (“half”); as a noun, 'half', 'side', 'part', from Proto-West Germanic *halb, from Proto-Germanic *halbaz. Cognates Cognate with Old Saxon, Old Frisian, and Old Dutch half, West Frisian heal, Dutch half, German halb, Swedish, Danish and Norwegian halv, Icelandic hálfur and Gothic 𐌷𐌰𐌻𐌱𐍃 (halbs). Compare halve, behalf.