The act of separating or cutting apart; forceful division or rupture.
From dissever + -ance (noun suffix). The -ance suffix, from Latin and Old French, creates nouns of action or state. This reflects a pattern common in legal and formal English from the 14th century onward.
Words ending in -ance and -ence (like 'appearance' and 'difference') often sound more formal and legal. This is because they came to English through French after 1066, and they're still used in official documents today.
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.