division

noun

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di·vi·sion | \ də-ˈvi-zhən

Definition of division

1a : the act or process of dividing : the state of being divided

b : the act, process, or an instance of distributing among a number : distribution

2 : one of the parts or groupings into which a whole is divided or is divisible

3 : the condition or an instance of being divided in opinion or interest : disagreement, disunity exploited the divisions between the two countries

4a : something that divides, separates, or marks off

b : the act, process, or an instance of separating or keeping apart : separation

5 : the mathematical operation of dividing something

6a : a self-contained major military unit capable of independent action

b : a tactical military unit composed of headquarters and usually three to five brigades

c(1) : the basic naval administrative unit

(2) : a tactical subdivision of a squadron of ships

d : a unit of the U.S. Air Force higher than a wing and lower than an air force

7a : a portion of a territorial unit marked off for a particular purpose (such as administrative or judicial functions)

b : an administrative or operating unit of a governmental, business, or educational organization

8 : the physical separation into different lobbies of the members of a parliamentary body voting for and against a question

9 : plant propagation by dividing parts and planting segments capable of producing roots and shoots

10 : a group of organisms forming part of a larger group specifically : a primary category of the plant kingdom in biological taxonomy that is typically equivalent to a phylum

11 : a competitive class or category (as in boxing or wrestling)

Other Words from division Synonyms Choose the Right Synonym More Example Sentences Learn More about division

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Choose the Right Synonym for division

part, portion, piece, member, division, section, segment, fragment mean something less than the whole. part is a general term appropriate when indefiniteness is required. they ran only part of the way portion implies an assigned or allotted part. cut the pie into six portions piece applies to a separate or detached part of a whole. a puzzle with 500 pieces member suggests one of the functional units composing a body. a structural member division applies to a large or diversified part. the manufacturing division of the company section applies to a relatively small or uniform part. the entertainment section of the newspaper segment applies to a part separated or marked out by or as if by natural lines of cleavage. the retired segment of the population fragment applies to a part produced by or as if by breaking off. only a fragment of the play still exists

Examples of division in a Sentence

the process of cell division a division of profits into equal shares After learning multiplication, the students were taught division.

Recent Examples on the Web David Haller, a 39-year-old prosecutor in the criminal division of U.S. Attorney Peter Strasser’s office, posted $1,000 bail after surrendering Friday morning on an arrest warrant. — John Simerman, NOLA.com, "Federal prosecutor in New Orleans booked on criminal damage charge," 15 Jan. 2021 Home-pool advantage, no longer a factor because of restrictions on fans and cheering, is eliminated completely as all teams in each division share one home pool. — Andrew Lin, BostonGlobe.com, "At King Philip, swim program sets example in competing and giving," 15 Jan. 2021 Kyle has the rank of commander and works in the criminal investigation division, two things that on most occasions keep him out of immediate danger. — Peter Hermann, Anchorage Daily News, "Beaten with their own clubs, choked by bear spray: How battered D.C. police made a stand against the Capitol mob," 15 Jan. 2021 Kyle has the rank of commander and works in the criminal investigation division, two things that on most occasions keep him out of immediate danger. — Peter Hermann, Washington Post, "How battered D.C. police made a stand against the Capitol mob," 14 Jan. 2021 Plus, Boston and Tampa Bay are no longer in the division. ... — Usa Today Sports, USA TODAY, "NHL point projections: How we see the 2021 season unfolding," 11 Jan. 2021 Backstrom began working as a law clerk in the civil division of the Dakota County Attorney's Office in 1977 while still in law school. — Erin Adler, Star Tribune, "Longtime Dakota County Attorney James Backstrom announces retirement," 8 Jan. 2021 Any chance to win the division appeared unrealistic. — David Moore, Dallas News, "The Cowboys have overcome a lot this season, but an improbable run may still be too little too late," 2 Jan. 2021 The Cowboys can win the division if two games go their way. — Rumsey Taylor, New York Times, "The N.F.L. Playoff Picture, Team by Team," 2 Jan. 2021

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'division.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Last Updated

21 Jan 2021

Cite this Entry

“Division.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/division. Accessed 25 Jan. 2021.

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More Definitions for division

division

noun

English Language Learners Definition of division

: the act or process of dividing something into parts : the way that something is divided

: something that physically divides or separates something else

mathematics : the process of finding out how many times one number is contained in another

See the full definition for division in the English Language Learners Dictionary

division

noun

di·vi·sion | \ də-ˈvi-zhən

Kids Definition of division

1 : the act or process of dividing or separating : the state of being divided or separated cell division

2 : the mathematical process of finding out how many times one number is contained in another

3 : something that divides, separates, or marks off The river is the division between the two towns.

4 : one of the parts or groups that make up a whole

5 : a large military unit

6 : a level of competitors He finished third in his weight division.

7 : a group of plants that ranks above the class and below the kingdom and in scientific classification is typically equal to a phylum

division

noun

di·vi·sion | \ də-ˈvizh-ən

Medical Definition of division

1 : the act or process of dividing : the state of being divided — see cell division

2 : a group of organisms forming part of a larger group specifically : a primary category of the plant kingdom that is typically equivalent to a phylum

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