half

1. either of two equal or corresponding parts into which something is or can be divided.

   two and a half years

   the northern half of the island

   divide the cake in half

   spending was reduced by half

1. an amount equal to a half.

   half an hour

   almost half the children turned up

   half of the lectures are delivered by him

   the last half century

1. to the extent of half.

   the glass was half full

Old English half, healf, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch half and German halb (adjectives). The earliest meaning of the Germanic base was ‘side’, also a noun sense in Old English.