splitsville, n. and a. colloq. (orig. and chiefly U.S.).
Brit. /ˈsplɪtsvɪl/, U.S. /ˈsplɪtsˌvɪl/
Forms: α. 19– splitsville; β. 19– splitville; Also with capital initial.
[‹ split adj. + -ville comb. form. With -s- in α forms compare Hicksville n., Squaresville n., endsville n., dullsville n.]
A. n. A notional place in which couples are separated or divorced; separation, divorce, or estrangement. Also in extended use.
| 1951 Lowell (Mass.) Sun 16 Mar. 15/5 A seppo is a guy separated; he and [his] wife are in ‘Splitsville’. 1967 News Jrnl. (Mansfield, Ohio) 10 Mar. 21/3 Anne Fogarty and husband Tom are in splitville. 1990 San Jose (Calif.) Mercury News 29 July (Parade Mag.) 2/1 [They] lack the magic, chemistry and togetherness that make for hit co-anchors, and ABC can send them on the road to splitsville any time. 1997 New Yorker 25 Aug.–1 Sept. 9/2 The repertoire of denouements is fairly limited: marriage, splitsville, murder, and mutual annihilation. 2006 Daily Rec. (Nexis) 30 Dec. 15 [They] were rumoured to be heading for Splitsville. |
B. adj. In predicative use. Separated or divorced; in a state of estrangement. Also in extended use.
| 1964 Press-Telegram (Long Beach, Calif.) (Electronic text) 19 Aug. Alvin is splitsville with the Giants. 1988 Washington Post (Electronic ed.) 19 Jan. d1 So, you and the missus are splitsville. What gives? 1994 New Republic 5 Dec. 33/1 Lorenzo and Jessica are Splitsville. 2006 Washington Post 8 Mar. c3/3 Of the 11 couples..most were splitsville by the time their finales aired. |