Separates things that were connected or linked together so they work independently instead of affecting each other.
From de- (reverse) + couple (join together). The prefix de- comes from Latin, meaning to undo or reverse. 'Couple' comes from Old French and Latin 'copula' meaning to join or link.
Engineers use 'decouple' constantly in software and mechanical systems—it's the magic word for making complex things simpler by separating their dependencies, which is why it became so important in modern technology and biology.
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