parting

Parting denotes the act of separating or dividing, and also the act of leaving someone or someplace. It covers both physical separation, such as two objects parting, and social separation, such as people parting company after a meeting.

Etymology and usage: The word comes from Old French partir, from Latin partiri “to divide” and pars “part.” In English, the sense of leaving and separating developed from the idea of parting ways.

Social usage: Common phrases include parting ways, parting words, and parting gifts. A parting may be temporary, such as a farewell before travel, or permanent, such as the end of a relationship or affiliation.

Hair and surfaces: In hairstyling, a parting is the line along which hair is divided. In design and manufacturing, a parting line or plane is the boundary along which mold halves separate.

Technical senses: In molding and casting, parting refers to separating a mold from a casting. In metallurgy and refining, parting describes processes that separate metal components or refine precious metals. In geology and rock mechanics, a parting plane is a natural plane along which rocks can split.