departure
Americannoun
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an act or instance of departing.
the time of departure; a hasty departure.
- Synonyms:
- leave-taking, exit, going, leaving
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divergence or deviation, as from a standard, rule, etc..
a departure from accepted teaching methods.
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Navigation.
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the distance due east or west traveled by a vessel or aircraft.
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Surveying. the length of the projection, on the east-west reference line, of a survey line.
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Archaic. death.
noun
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the act or an instance of departing
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a deviation or variation from previous custom; divergence
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a project, course of action, venture, etc
selling is a new departure for him
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nautical
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the net distance travelled due east or west by a vessel
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Also called: point of departure. the latitude and longitude of the point from which a vessel calculates dead reckoning
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a euphemistic word for death
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of departure
1375–1425; late Middle English < Old French departëure; compare Anglo-French departir (noun use of infinitive). See depart, -ure
Explanation
A departure is the act of leaving somewhere. Think about an airport that has departure gates for outgoing passengers and an arrival area for people flying in. Since departing means to leave, a departure is an act of leaving. There are many type of departures, such as when you go to the store or take a flight. A departure can be a metaphor too, as in a departure from the norm, like if a TV cop show suddenly turns into a vampire show. If a comedian starts being serious, that's a departure too. This word is also a euphemism for death, as in "a departure from life."
Vocabulary lists containing departure
Bless Me, Ultima
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Greetings, World Traveler! — List 2
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This Week in Words: Current Events Vocab for May 14–May 20, 2022
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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.
Colbert joked about how little time had passed since leaving network television, framing the return as a kind of immediate re-entry into a different corner of the media ecosystem rather than a true departure.
From Salon • May 23, 2026
With the long ago departure of the controversial former Clippers owner Donald Sterling, is Arte Moreno now truly the worst owner in sports?
From Los Angeles Times • May 23, 2026
The algae provide coral's characteristic colours, and their departure leaves behind a ghostly white structure that is gradually starving.
From Barron's • May 22, 2026
The move prompted the departure of Marty Makary as head of the agency the following week.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 21, 2026
We find the row of inns that serve the vast numbers of Jews looking for shelter at the seaport before their departure.
From "Across So Many Seas" by Ruth Behar
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
