separation
n. C / Un. the act of moving things apart or the state of being apart. You use this when people stop living together or when you keep two different things in different places.
n. the act or process of moving or keeping things apart; the state of being distinct or disconnected. Often used to describe the legal or physical distance between entities or individuals.
The separation of the two departments took several months.
After years of conflict, the couple decided on a legal separation before filing for a full divorce.
The constitutional principle of the separation of powers ensures that the legislative, executive, and judicial branches remain independent and provide checks on one another.
Attested in the 15th Century C.E.; from Middle English separacioun, from Old French separacion, from Latin separatio, separationem. Morphologically separate + -ion.
Uncountable when referring to the abstract state of being apart; countable when referring to specific instances or legal agreements.
the separation between of the two groupsthe separation of the two groupsLearners often add 'between' unnecessarily; use 'separation of [items]' or 'separation between [item A] and [item B]'.