diviso

Diviso is a term that originates from Italian and Latin, meaning divided or partitioned. In Italian, the past participle diviso derives from Latin divisus, from dividere, "to divide." The word appears in various contexts in music notation and in general language.

In music, diviso (often abbreviated diviso, or simply div.) is an instruction to split a single section or part into two or more subgroups that perform different lines simultaneously. It is common in orchestral and choral scores, particularly for strings and wind sections. The division can be temporary and resolved when the conductor directs players to return to unison; in many scores the plural form divisi is used when the section is divided into multiple parts. Modern editions frequently prefer "divisi" for the plural and "div." as a shorthand. The term is more common in classical repertoire and earlier editions; contemporary composers may specify division with multiple stems or cues.

Outside of music, diviso is simply the Italian adjective meaning divided, e.g., "stato diviso" (divided state), and appears in translations of Latin phrases into Italian. In Latin, divisus is the passive participle meaning divided; diviso is used mainly in Italian.

Thus, diviso is primarily encountered today as a musical term but also exists as a general-language adjective in Italian, with roots in Latin.