department
pronunciation
How to pronounce department in British English:
UK [dɪˈpɑːtmənt]
How to pronounce department in American English:
US [dɪˈpɑːrtmənt]
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- Noun:
- a specialized division of a large organization
- the territorial and administrative division of some countries (such as France)
- a specialized sphere of knowledge
Word Origin
- department
- department: [15] English has borrowed department from French département on two completely separate occasions. Originally, in late Middle English, it was used for ‘departure’, but this died out in the mid-17th century. Then in the 18th century it was re-acquired in the different sense ‘distinct division’; Dr Johnson, in his Dictionary 1755, dismisses it as a French term.
- department (n.)
- mid-15c., "a going away, act of leaving," from Old French departement (12c.) "division, sharing out; divorce, parting," from Late Latin departire (see depart). French department meant "group of people" (as well as "departure"), from which English borrowed the sense of "separate division, separate business assigned to someone in a larger organization" (c. 1735). Meaning "separate division of a government" is from 1769. As an administrative district in France, from 1792.
Example
- 1. The justice department and landis declined to comment .
- 2. The department is very attuned politically .
- 3. The department led the world in cancer research .
- 4. That 's from a may 2010 department of homeland security report .
- 5. The checks at the border will continue , the immigration department said .