halve

From Middle English halven, helven, from Old English hilfan, helfan, hielfan (“to halve, divide in two”), from Proto-West Germanic halbijan, from Proto-Germanic halbijaną (“to halve”), from Proto-Germanic halbaz (“half”). Cognate with Middle Dutch halven (“to halve”), Middle High German halben, helben (“to halve”). Compare also West Frisian helte (“to halve”), Dutch halveren (“to halve”), German Low German halberen (“to halve”), German halbieren (“to halve”), Danish halvere (“to halve”), Swedish halvera (“to halve”).