Word of the week

This week's word is:

MOIETY

moi·e·ty [moi-i-tee]
–noun, plural -ties.

1. a half.
2. an indefinite portion, part, or share.
3. Anthropology. one of two units into which a tribe or community is divided on the basis of unilineal descent.

[Origin: 1400–50; late ME moite < MF < L medietāt- (s. of medietās) the middle, equiv. to medi(us) mid + -etāt-, var., after vowels, of -itāt- -ity]