Etymology: Probably partly (i) cognate with or formed similarly to West Frisian sonderje , sunderje , Middle Dutch sonderen , sunderen (Dutch zonderen ), Middle Low German sunderen , Old High German suntarōn (Middle High German sundern , sündern , German sondern ), Old Icelandic sundra , Old Swedish syndra (Swedish söndra ), Danish søndre < the Germanic base of sunder adv., sunder adj., and partly (ii) aphetic < asunder v.In Old English the unprefixed verb is significantly less frequent than asundrian asunder v. and it is also first attested later (at least in West Saxon). The prefixed form gesundrian , gesyndrian to separate (compare y- prefix) is also attested; compare also onsundrian (rare) to separate, take apart (compare on- prefix); tōsundrian , tōsyndrian to separate, distinguish (compare to- prefix²). The Older Scots form scindre is probably by association with classical Latin scindere to cleave (see scind v.). In Old English a weak verb of Class II; perhaps also sometimes a weak verb of Class I. However, weak Class I inflection is attested more clearly for prefixed asunder v. Weak Class II forms with i-mutated vowel probably show the stem form of the weak Class I verb. However, compare also β. forms at sunder adv. and adj. and the discussion at that entry.

Etymology: Cognate with Old Frisian sunder , sonder (preposition) without (West Frisian sunder , preposition), Old Dutch sunder (preposition) without (Middle Dutch sonder (adverb) especially, particularly, (preposition) without, Dutch zonder (adverb) unusually, exceptionally, (preposition) without), Old Saxon sundar (adverb) separately, alone, apart (Middle Low German sunder , sonder (adverb) especially, particularly, (preposition) without, except), Old High German suntar (adverb) separated from, apart, alone, (preposition) without (Middle High German sunder (adverb) individually, apart, particularly, exclusively, very, (preposition) except, without, German sonder (preposition) without), Old Icelandic sundr (adverb) apart, to pieces, Old Swedish sunder , synder apart, to pieces (adverb) (Swedish sönder ), Danish sønder apart, to pieces (adverb), Gothic sundro (adverb) alone, apart, and probably further with Sanskrit sanutar apart, away, ancient Greek ἅτερ without, far from < a suffixed form (perhaps compare -er suffix³) of the Indo-European base seen in classical Latin sine without (see sans prep.), Early Irish sain different, special. Compare in sunder adv., asunder adv.Use of this word as an adverb (and as a derived preposition) is well attested in Germanic; it is also used in various Germanic languages (e.g. West Frisian, Old Dutch, Middle Low German, Old High German) as a conjunction in the sense ‘but, however, nevertheless’, apparently arising as a secondary development from the preposition. Evidence for use as adjective in Germanic is less secure. With use as the first element of compounds in the sense ‘special’ (see sense B. 1) compare similar use of Old Saxon sundar- , Middle Low German sunder- , sonder- , German sonder- , Old Icelandic sundr- , and with later independent use in sense B. 3 compare Middle Dutch sonder special, particular (Dutch zonder unusual, special), Middle Low German sunder , sonder separate, special, Middle High German sunder separate, isolated, particular (perhaps earlier in Old High German glosses where the part of speech in uncertain and disputed). The adjective is not attested in independent use in Old English; such use may be implied by Old English on sundrum separately, individually, apparently an adverbial phrase in which on prep. governs the dative of a noun use of sundor , adjective (see further discussion at asunder adv.); compare Old Saxon an sundron especially, and also forms in the Germanic languages cited at in sunder adv. With use as adjective compare also sundry adj., attested earlier in senses corresponding to B. 2 and B. 3. The β. forms apparently show the reflex of an i-mutated vowel. Perhaps compare Scandinavian forms with mutated vowel (Old Swedish synder ), but compare also the α. forms at sundry adj. and pron. and also forms of sunder v. Compare further the β. forms at sunderly adj. and the α. forms at sunderly adv. Some instances of forms in -re in use as adjective could alternatively be interpreted as showing sundry adj.: see discussion at that entry.