departure

American  

[dih-pahr-cher] / dɪˈpɑr tʃər /

noun

1. an act or instance of departing.

   the time of departure; a hasty departure.

   Synonyms:

   leave-taking, exit, going, leaving

2. divergence or deviation, as from a standard, rule, etc..

   a departure from accepted teaching methods.

3. Navigation.

   1. the distance due east or west traveled by a vessel or aircraft.

   2. point of departure.

4. Surveying. the length of the projection, on the east-west reference line, of a survey line.

5. Archaic. death.

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departure British  

/ dɪˈpɑːtʃə /

noun

1. the act or an instance of departing

2. a deviation or variation from previous custom; divergence

3. a project, course of action, venture, etc

   selling is a new departure for him

4. nautical

   1. the net distance travelled due east or west by a vessel

   2. Also called: point of departure.  the latitude and longitude of the point from which a vessel calculates dead reckoning

5. a euphemistic word for death

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Other Word Forms

• nondeparture
  noun
• predeparture
  noun

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."

Example Sentences

The Dutch government update said before her death she had boarded a KLM flight heading from Johannesburg to the Netherlands, but became ill before its departure.

From BBC • May 7, 2026

Health officials believe the couple who first came down with symptoms and later passed away may have been exposed to the virus while visiting Argentina before the ship’s departure.

From MarketWatch • May 6, 2026

Brockman also testified that when Musk announced his departure from OpenAI in February 2018, he told staff he intended to pursue AI development inside Tesla without regard for safety.

From Barron's • May 5, 2026

In the comments section of Leavitt’s Instagram video announcing her departure, Paul wrote, “You will be missed. Chase those dreams my girl. I’m excited to see your next chapter.”

From Los Angeles Times • May 5, 2026

A week before my departure, while Mima is out of the house, Sadik taps four times.

From "Across So Many Seas" by Ruth Behar

Related Words

• escape
• evacuation
• exit
• exodus
• flight
• passage
• removal
• retirement
• retreat
• separation
• takeoff
• walkout
• withdrawal