compartment

1 of 2

noun

com·​part·​ment kəm-ˈpärt-mənt How to pronounce compartment (audio)
1
: a separate division or section
2
: one of the parts into which an enclosed space is divided
compartmental adjective

compartment

2 of 2

verb

com·​part·​ment kəm-ˈpärt-ˌment How to pronounce compartment (audio)
-mənt
compartmented; compartmenting; compartments

Examples of compartment in a Sentence

Noun The suitcase has a zippered compartment for personal items. The refrigerator has a separate compartment for meats. Verb compartment the responses according to country of origin
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
There are door pockets that can accommodate water bottles and a center console compartment that’s good for stowing your smartphone. Alex Nishimoto, Quartz, 28 Feb. 2024 What may have led this person to put their bag in the overhead compartment? Hylke Faber, Forbes, 23 Feb. 2024 This 3-in-1 Breakfast Maker comes with separate compartments that can cook two different foods simultaneously on the top while toasting your bread or bagel on the bottom. Hannah Rice, Rolling Stone, 20 Feb. 2024 Find it on Amazon Organize the Carry-on With This Travel Jewelry Box Make taking jewelry on the go easy with this travel jewelry box that has multiple compartments to keep things from getting tangled in transit. Taylor Gumm, Rolling Stone, 20 Feb. 2024 From the convenient handle on top to the roomy interior—not to mention the many compartments for housing brushes, foundations, blushes, and eyeshadows—this bag is the queen of makeup bags. Rebecca Jones, Southern Living, 19 Feb. 2024 That’s where the smaller basket on the back comes in handy, leaving the main compartment for bags and other larger items. Barbara Bellesi Zito, Better Homes & Gardens, 12 Feb. 2024 One negative note is that there are no pockets; however, there is a secret compartment inside the waistband to store a key or card. Cai Cramer, Peoplemag, 6 Feb. 2024 There are two interior compartments, one that zips closed and one with adjustable compression straps. Theresa Holland, Travel + Leisure, 2 Feb. 2024
Verb
In the place where sport bikes keep their engines, the Navi has a lockable storage compartment large enough to cram in shoes, books or laptops (but not a full-face helmet). Dan Neil, WSJ, 4 Mar. 2022 One flew into the drivers compartment through an open window and struck him in the face, temporarily stunning him. NBC News, 9 June 2021 First came the bone spurs in his ankle and then compartment syndrome (painful pressure buildup from internal bleeding or swelling of tissues) in his calves, both requiring surgery. Glenn Graham, baltimoresun.com, 27 Oct. 2020 Kushner has not yet been approved to review ‘‘sensitive compartmented information,’’ better known as SCI. BostonGlobe.com, 13 July 2018 Kushner has not been approved to review ‘‘sensitive compartmented information,’’ known as SCI. Washington Post, BostonGlobe.com, 13 July 2018 Sharing highly compartmented, classified information with Russians is a theatrical distraction from the greater good of polluting streams, enabling predatory financial practices, cutting taxes, and taking people’s health care away. Brian Beutler, New Republic, 16 May 2017

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'compartment.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle French compartiment, from Italian compartimento, from compartire to mark out in parts, from Late Latin compartiri to share out, from Latin com- + partiri to share, from part-, pars part, share

First Known Use

Noun

circa 1578, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1918, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of compartment was circa 1578

Dictionary Entries Near compartment

Cite this Entry

“Compartment.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/compartment. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

compartment

noun
com·​part·​ment
kəm-ˈpärt-mənt
1
: a separate division or section
2
: one of the parts into which an enclosed space is divided

More from Merriam-Webster on compartment

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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