half
n. C / Un. one of two equal parts of something. You use it when you divide a whole thing into two same-sized pieces.
n. one of two equal or approximately equal parts into which a whole is or can be divided. In sports and performance contexts, it refers to one of two periods of play or action.
I gave my friend half of my sandwich.
The team played much better in the second half of the game after the coach changed the strategy.
The first half of the play establishes the historical setting, while the second half focuses entirely on the internal psychological struggles of the protagonist.
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.
When used as a determiner or pronoun, it can be followed by 'of' before a noun phrase. In the plural form, the 'f' changes to 'v' to become 'halves'.
I waited for a half hour.I waited for half an hour.When referring to time or measurements, 'half' usually precedes the indefinite article 'a' or 'an'.