'pre-divide' originates from two Latin elements: the prefix 'pre-' from Latin 'prae' where 'prae-' meant 'before', and the verb 'divide' from Latin 'dividere' where 'dividere' meant 'to separate'.

'divide' passed into English via Old French (e.g. 'devider') and Middle English (e.g. 'dividen') from Latin 'dividere'; the prefix 'pre-' comes from Latin 'prae' and was adopted into English as a productive prefix meaning 'before', forming compounds such as 'pre-divide' to mean 'divide beforehand'.

Initially the roots meant 'before' and 'to separate'; combined as 'pre-divide' the form has consistently meant 'to divide in advance' or 'divided beforehand', a literal and stable compound meaning.