Divvies

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. To share or distribute items among a group
2. to divide resources among individuals for equitable access
3. to allocate portions or shares of something like food or responsibilities among people

Etymology: "Divvies" is the plural of "divvy", a noun meaning a share of spoils or a portion of something being distributed. The base word is a clipping of "dividend" with the informal suffix "-y" added, so it is a shortened, chummy version of the word for a sum divided out among shareholders. Where the clipping happened and when it took hold is not firmly recorded, and the origin of the noun itself is murky. Some have proposed that it corrupts "Davy lamp," the safety lamp miners used, which is a suggestion that has been put forward without solid evidence. Others have linked it to "dividend" as an unemployment benefit, or to "divot," meaning a piece of turf, used euphemistically in place of a vulgar word. None of these is well established, so the cleanest account remains the plain clipping of "dividend."

Synonyms: dividends, shares, payments, distributions