Departments: meaning, definitions and examples

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departments

 

[ dɪˈpɑːrtmənts ]

Noun
Context #1 | Noun

in an organization

A distinct section of a government or business organization with a particular function; a division.

Synonyms

branch, division, section.

Which Synonym Should You Choose?

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Word Description / Examples
departments

Used in larger organizations or institutions to refer to specialized units or groups focusing on specific functions or areas.

  • The marketing and sales departments work closely together
  • The university has separate departments for physics and chemistry
division

Used primarily in larger organizations to refer to major functional units that are bigger than departments, often encompassing multiple departments.

  • The company's technology division is expanding rapidly
  • She transferred from the financial division to the operations division
section

Typically used to refer to smaller subdivisions or parts of a department or branch, focusing on very specific tasks or functions.

  • The research section of the company has achieved significant advancements
  • He works in the customer service section
branch

Typically refers to a local office or outlet in a different location from the main office. This term is common in banking, retail, and government services.

  • I need to visit the bank branch in the city center
  • The company has opened a new branch in Mexico

Examples of usage

  • The marketing department is responsible for promoting the company's products.
  • She works in the human resources department.
  • Each department has its own budget and responsibilities.
Context #2 | Noun

in a store

A specialized division within a large store, typically dealing with a specific type of merchandise.

Synonyms

category, division, section.

Which Synonym Should You Choose?

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Word Description / Examples
departments

Use this term when referring to a specific part of a larger organization or institution, typically in business or government settings.

  • The marketing department launched a new campaign.
  • He works in the finance department.
section

Use this term for smaller, more specific parts of a whole, applicable in a variety of contexts including documents, departments, stores, or physical spaces.

  • Please refer to section 3 of the manual for more details.
  • We organize the store by sections to make it easier for customers to find items.
category

Use this term to classify or group items that share similar characteristics, commonly used in retail, research, and data analysis contexts.

  • This book falls into the fiction category.
  • The products are sorted into different categories.
division

Use this term when referring to a major section of a large organization, often used in corporate or military settings to indicate a significant segment with specialized functions.

  • The company announced a restructuring of its IT division.
  • He is a manager in the sales division.

Examples of usage

  • The electronics department is on the second floor.
  • I need to go to the clothing department to buy a new dress.

Translations

Translations of the word "departments" in other languages:

🇵🇹 departamentos

🇮🇳 विभाग

🇩🇪 Abteilungen

🇮🇩 departemen

🇺🇦 департаменти

🇵🇱 działy

🇯🇵 部門 (ぶもん)

🇫🇷 départements

🇪🇸 departamentos

🇹🇷 departmanlar

🇰🇷 부서 (부서)

🇸🇦 أقسام

🇨🇿 oddělení

🇸🇰 oddelenia

🇨🇳 部门 (bùmén)

🇸🇮 oddelki

🇮🇸 deildir

🇰🇿 бөлімдер

🇬🇪 დეპარტამენტები

🇦🇿 şöbələr

🇲🇽 departamentos

Etymology

The word 'department' originated in the late 18th century from the French word 'département', which in turn came from the Latin word 'departire' meaning 'to divide'. The term was initially used in the context of government divisions and later expanded to businesses and organizations.

See also: depart, departed, departing, department, departure.

Word Frequency Rank

At position #2,304, this word belongs to solid intermediate vocabulary. It's frequently used in both casual and formal contexts and is worth learning for better fluency.