Definition of separate out

The phrase "separate out" originates from the English language in the 16th century. Its roots can be traced back to the Middle English verb "separen," which meant to part or split something. This verb is related to the Old English word "spæran," which meant to keep apart or preserve. In literature, the earliest recorded use of "separate out" dates back to the 1570s in the writing of Robert Greene, an English playwright and poet. In his play "Orphan," Greene wrote, "Now will I poison them, and separate them out." The meaning of "separate out" is to pick out or isolate something from a group or mixture. It often implies a process of separating items based on certain characteristics or criteria, such as separating out the wheat from the chaff, or separating out the sick from the healthy. The phrase has become a common expression in contemporary English language, often used in scientific fields, such as biology or chemistry, to denote the process of purifying and isolating a particular substance from a complex mixture. In summary, the phrase "separate out" is a derivative of the Middle English verb "separen" and is related to the Old English word "spæran." It existed as a recognized expression in the English language by the late 16th century, with its current meaning to pick out or isolate something from a group or mixture.