compartmentation

noun

com·​part·​men·​ta·​tion kəm-ˌpärt-mən-ˈtā-shən How to pronounce compartmentation (audio)
-ˌmen-
: division into separate sections or units

Examples of compartmentation in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The Titanic had compartmentation and automatically closing water-tight doors, which was supposed to ensure any hull breach would be limited and not jeopardize the entire ship. Brad Lendon, CNN, 23 June 2023 At Twin Parks North West, compartmentation broke down in at least three places on Jan. 9. New York Times, 8 July 2022 Second compartmentation failure By now, smoke had infiltrated the building’s two stairwells. New York Times, 8 July 2022 It should be handled with particular attention to compartmentation and need-to-know. Jerry Dunleavy, Washington Examiner, 6 Oct. 2020

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

Word History

First Known Use

1926, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of compartmentation was in 1926

Dictionary Entries Near compartmentation

Cite this Entry

“Compartmentation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/compartmentation. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Medical Definition

compartmentation

noun
com·​part·​men·​ta·​tion kəm-ˌpärt-mən-ˈtā-shən, -ˌmen- How to pronounce compartmentation (audio)
: intracellular partitioning of cellular substances and metabolic activities by membranes
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