moiety

moi·e·ty  (moi-t)

n. pl. moi·e·ties

1. A half.

2. A part, portion, or share.

3. Anthropology Either of two kinship groups based on unilateral descent that together make up a tribe or society.

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[Middle English moite, from Old French meitiet, moitie, from Late Latin mediets, from Latin, middle, from medius, middle; see medhyo- in Indo-European roots.]

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moiety [moy-it-ee]

Noun

pl -ties Archaic

1. a half

2. one of two parts or divisions of something [Old French moitié]

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Moiety a half; the better half; a small part; a lease; a share, portion, or quantity.

Examples: the moiety of the human species; of a scruple, 1641.

Thesaurus

Noun	1.	moiety - one of two (approximately) equal parts mediety half, one-half - one of two equal parts of a divisible whole; "half a loaf"; "half an hour"; "a century and one half"
	2.	moiety - one of two basic subdivisions of a tribe social group - people sharing some social relation tribe, folk - a social division of (usually preliterate) people