department

[ dih-pahrt-muhnt ]

/ dɪˈpɑrt mənt /

SEE SYNONYMS FOR department ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

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

one of the principal branches of a governmental organization: the sanitation department.

(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.

a division of a business enterprise dealing with a particular area of activity: the personnel department.

a section of a retail store selling a particular class or kind of goods: the sportswear department.

one of the sections of a school or college dealing with a particular field of knowledge: the English department.

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

a division of official business, duties, or functions: judicial departments.

a sphere or province of activity, knowledge, or responsibility: Paying the bills is not my department.

(usually initial capital letter) U.S. Army. (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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a creature, variously described as a serpent, lizard, or dragon, said to kill by its breath or look.

place or source of origin.

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Origin of department

1730–35; < French département, equivalent to départ(ir) (see depart) + -ment -ment

SYNONYMS FOR department

1 branch, bureau, section, unit, segment.

SEE SYNONYMS FOR department ON THESAURUS.COM

OTHER WORDS FROM department

de·part·men·tal

[dih-pahrt-men-tl, dee-pahrt-] /dɪ pɑrtˈmɛn tl, ˌdi pɑrt-/, adjectivede·part·men·tal·ly, adverbnon·de·part·men·tal, adjectivenon·de·part·men·tal·ly, adverb

pre·de·part·men·tal, adjectivesub·de·part·ment, nounsub·de·part·men·tal, adjective

Words nearby department

depants, depardieu, depart, departed, departee, department, department of agriculture, department of commerce, department of defense, department of education, department of energy

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Example sentences from the Web for departmental

Maybe it has to do with a departmental culture that downplays sexual assaults—an attitude that seems to start at the top.
In Washington, Sexual Assault Victims Find Justice Elusive||February 22, 2013|DAILY BEAST
An affair that blossoms in his 40s and is quickly squelched by a departmental rival serves as his single true illumination.
Must-Read College Novels: From “Lucky Jim” to “Pnin”|Sam Munson|August 13, 2012|DAILY BEAST
Private houses had suddenly become ministries; cafés, headquarters; and shops, departmental offices.
The Luck of Thirteen|Jan Gordon
He was solemnly in earnest about economy and departmental mismanagement.
Lord Randolph Churchill|Winston Spencer Churchill

In 1879 he became second, and soon afterwards first, departmental chief at the foreign office in Vienna.
Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 15, Slice 6|Various
This additional act has had my approval and will be laid before you with the departmental report.
A Compilation of the Messages and Papers of the Presidents|Grover Cleveland
He was tempted to have a word with Furneaux, but forbore, and tackled some other departmental business.
The Strange Case of Mortimer Fenley|Louis Tracy

British Dictionary definitions for departmental

department

/ (dɪˈpɑːtmənt) /

noun

a specialized division of a large concern, such as a business, store, or universitythe geography department

a major subdivision or branch of the administration of a government

a branch or subdivision of learningphysics is a department of science

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

informal a specialized sphere of knowledge, skill, or activitywine-making is my wife's department

Derived forms of department

departmental (ˌdiːpɑːtˈmɛntəl), adjectivedepartmentally, adverb

Word Origin for department

C18: from French département, from départir to divide; see depart

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

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department

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British Dictionary definitions for departmental

noun

Derived forms of department

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MEANINGS

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department

noun

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Origin of department

SYNONYMS FOR department

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Words related to departmental

Example sentences from the Web for departmental

British Dictionary definitions for departmental

noun

Derived forms of department

Word Origin for department