departmentalism

American

[dih-pahrt-men-tl-iz-uhm, dee-pahrt-] / dɪ pɑrtˈmɛn tlˌɪz əm, ˌdi pɑrt- /

noun

division into departments, as in a university.
advocacy of or partiality for such division.

departmentalism British

/ ˌdiːpɑːtˈmɛntəˌlɪzəm /

noun

division into departments, esp when resulting in impaired efficiency

"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

Etymology

Origin of departmentalism

First recorded in 1885–90; departmental ( def. ) + -ism

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The promptness of Babar's administrative methods is a striking contrast to the circumlocution of present-day departmentalism.

From A Handbook to Agra and the Taj Sikandra, Fatehpur-Sikri and the Neighbourhood by Havell, E. B.

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023