Distribute
To give out portions of something to several people or places; to divide and allocate resources.
verbDistribute
To give out portions of something to several people or places; to divide and allocate resources.
verbImagine This
Imagine a relief worker at a crowded shelter, sorting boxes and distributing blankets to each family, one by one, until every person receives a needed item.
Sounds Like
dih-STRIB-yoot
Looks Like
distribution (noun) and words like contribute share a suffix; visually resembles 'distribution' and 'contribute'.
Remember This
Distribute comes from Latin distribuere, meaning to divide and assign. The root suggests handing out portions rather than simply scattering.
Other Forms
Connect With
apportion, allocate, allot, mete out, dispense, parcel out
Note
Distribute emphasizes division and handing out to recipients. Distinguish from 'disperse' (to scatter) and 'allocate' (to set aside resources for specific purposes) in precise contexts.