Pronunciation

/dɪˈpɑːrtmənt/

Definitions

Noun

1. A section or division within a larger organization, school, store, etc., usually with specific functions or responsibilities. For example: “The marketing department is responsible for promoting our products.”
2. A group of people sharing a common interest or area of study, as in a school subject or academic discipline. For example: “She’s taking several courses in the art department.”
3. (informal) A place where goods or services are sold, especially a retail establishment. For example: “The department store had a wide variety of clothing options.”

Verb

To assign or allocate something to a particular department or category. For example: “The new employee was departmented to the HR team.”

Adjective

Characterizing or relating to a department or its functions. For example: “The department’s budget has been increased this year.”

Phrases

• “Work in the HR department” means to be employed in the human resources division.
• “Visit the customer service department” refers to seeking assistance from that department.
• “Department stores” are retail establishments with multiple sections.

Example Sentences

• Noun: “He was promoted to head of the research and development department.”
• Verb: “The company reorganized departments to streamline operations.”
• Adjective: “The department’s performance improved significantly last quarter.”

Synonyms

• Unit
• Division
• Section
• Bureau
• Cluster
• Faculty (in academia)
• Sector (industry-specific)