department

American  

[dih-pahrt-muhnt] / dɪˈpɑrt mənt /

noun

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

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

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

That request was quickly canceled and the department didn’t send personnel out to Starbase, he said.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 18, 2026

Nepal's tourism department has congratulated both climbers for the "historic achievement".

From BBC • May 18, 2026

The negative for Macy’s is that department stores are viewed by investors as declining businesses.

From Barron's • May 18, 2026

She castigated department attorneys over their “appalling” and “reckless disregard for the duty of candor” and described them as “unworthy of this trust at every point.”

From Slate • May 18, 2026

It’s from the publishing department of The New York Times.

From "Red Flags and Butterflies" by Sheryl Azzam

Related Words

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