department

American  

[dih-pahrt-muhnt] / dɪˈpɑrt mənt /

noun

departments plural

1. a distinct part of anything arranged in divisions; a division of a complex whole or organized system.

   Synonyms:

   segment, unit, section, bureau, branch

2. one of the principal branches of a governmental organization.

   the sanitation department.

3. (initial capital letter) one of the principal divisions of the U.S. federal government, headed by a secretary who is a member of the president's cabinet.

4. a division of a business enterprise dealing with a particular area of activity.

   the personnel department.

5. a section of a retail store selling a particular class or kind of goods.

   the sportswear department.

6. one of the sections of a school or college dealing with a particular field of knowledge.

   the English department.

7. one of the large districts into which certain countries, as France, are divided for administrative purposes.

8. a division of official business, duties, or functions.

   judicial departments.

9. a sphere or province of activity, knowledge, or responsibility.

   Paying the bills is not my department.

10. (usually initial capital letter) (formerly) a large geographical division of the U.S. or its possessions as divided for military and defense purposes.

    the Hawaiian Department.

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department British  

/ dɪˈpɑːtmənt, ˌdiːpɑːtˈmɛntəl /

noun

1. a specialized division of a large concern, such as a business, store, or university

   the geography department

2. a major subdivision or branch of the administration of a government

3. a branch or subdivision of learning

   physics is a department of science

4. a territorial and administrative division in several countries, such as France

5. informal a specialized sphere of knowledge, skill, or activity

   wine-making is my wife's department

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• subdepartment
  noun
• departmental
  adjective
• nondepartmental
  adjective
• predepartmental
  adjective
• subdepartmental
  adjective
• departmentally
  adverb
• nondepartmentally
  adverb

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• departments
  plural

Etymology

Origin of department

First recorded in 1730–35; from French département; equivalent to depart + -ment

Explanation

A department is one section or part of a larger group, like a company or a school. The philosophy department of a university is just one of many, including English, math, and sociology. Your local hospital has an emergency department, as well as surgical and mental health departments, or units. A company might have finance departments and hiring departments, and a town government has public works and fire departments. A "department store" is likewise split into sections. In each case, the departments specialize in one certain aspect of the organization. You can also say, "Making cookies is my department," if you're the person in your family who's the baking expert.

Example Sentences

The department said the response to the fire included fire crews, heavy equipment and water-dropping aircraft.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 7, 2026

“If somebody gets hurt and they’re trapped in there, now it’s additional resources for us, and I have to worry about officers getting hurt,” said Chief Brian Linkletter, of the 17-officer Somers police department.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jul. 7, 2026

“The department is violating U.S. laws and policies that have grown out of hard-learned lessons from past wars and garnered bipartisan support across multiple administrations,” Shiel said.

From Salon • Jul. 7, 2026

Because this was an era when the press often worked hand-in-glove with the police department, the failure wasn’t hidden from the public.

From Slate • Jul. 7, 2026

And sure enough, tucked between a department store catalogue and an electricity bill is yet another beach scene.

From "South of Somewhere" by Kalena Miller

Related Words

• administration
• agency
• area
• board
• branch
• bureau
• commission
• division
• office
• staff
• station
• unit