separates: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
B1 (noun form); A2 (verb form)Formal/Informal (noun: fashion/retail). Neutral (verb).
Quick answer
What does “separates” mean?
Items of clothing sold as individual pieces (e.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
Items of clothing sold as individual pieces (e.g., a skirt and top) rather than as a single outfit.
The verb 'to separate' (third person singular present) meaning to divide, disconnect, or cause to move apart; also a plural noun for distinct components of a system or mixture.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Minimal. The noun 'separates' (clothing) is equally used in both varieties. Spelling: 'separates' vs. 'separates' (no difference).
Connotations
In fashion contexts, identical. The verb form has no significant connotative differences.
Frequency
The noun is moderately common in fashion/retail contexts in both regions. The verb is extremely common.
Grammar
How to Use “separates” in a Sentence
separate sth from sthseparate into groupsseparate outseparate A and BVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “separates” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The Channel separates Great Britain from continental Europe.
- A thin wall separates the two offices.
- They decided to separate after ten years of marriage.
American English
- The river separates Texas from Louisiana.
- This machine separates the plastic from the aluminum.
- The couple separated last spring.
adverb
British English
- We will deal with these two points separately.
- The items are packaged and sold separately.
- Tickets for the exhibition and the talk are priced separately.
American English
- Please wash the dark colors separately.
- The grill can be purchased separately.
- The components are tested separately before assembly.
adjective
British English
- They have separate bank accounts.
- Please keep the recyclables in separate bins.
- The issue will be discussed at a separate meeting.
American English
- We arrived in separate cars.
- The twins went to separate colleges.
- The software comes with a separate instruction manual.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
The new strategy separates our luxury brand from the mass-market products.
Academic
The centrifuge separates the components of the solution by density.
Everyday
She usually buys separates so she can mix and match her outfits.
Technical
The filter separates particulate matter from the exhaust stream.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “separates”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “separates”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “separates”
- Using 'a separate' to refer to one item of clothing (correct: 'a separate piece' or 'an item from a separates collection').
- Misspelling as 'seperates'.
- Using the noun as a singular (e.g., 'this separates is nice' - incorrect).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Almost never. In the clothing sense, it is a 'pluralia tantum' noun, like 'trousers' or 'scissors'. You cannot say 'a separate' to mean one item of clothing (though you can say 'a separate item').
'Divide' often implies splitting something into parts (e.g., divide a cake). 'Separate' often implies moving things apart that were together or keeping things apart (e.g., separate egg whites, separate fighting children). 'Divide' is more about creating partitions; 'separate' is more about creating distance or disconnection.
Rarely in modern usage. Its primary non-verb use is in fashion. Historically, it could refer to separate components, but today words like 'components', 'parts', or 'units' are more common in non-fashion contexts.
For the verb 'separates', the stress is on the first syllable and the 'a' in the last syllable sounds like 'ate' /eɪ/. For the noun 'separates', the stress is also on the first syllable, but the final syllable is a schwa /ə/ or a short 'i' sound, like in 'separate' (adjective).
Items of clothing sold as individual pieces (e.
Separates is usually formal/informal (noun: fashion/retail). neutral (verb). in register.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Separate the wheat from the chaff”
- “Separate the men from the boys”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a SEPARATE piece of clothing – you need several pieces, so it becomes 'separates'.
Conceptual Metaphor
DISTANCE IS SEPARATION (e.g., 'They grew apart'); PURITY IS SEPARATION (e.g., 'separate the good from the bad').
Practice
Quiz
In which context is 'separates' used exclusively as a plural noun?