division of labor

noun phrase

: the breakdown of labor into its components and their distribution among different persons, groups, or machines to increase productive efficiency

Examples of division of labor in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Without fiefdoms structuring the distribution of land, the division of labor, and the provision of military protection, agents of state coercion were needed to ensure that former serfs would serve as wage laborers. — Sophie Landres, Artforum, 1 Oct. 2026

For Success​ The promise of agentic AI in finance is a better division of labor, where AI handles routine execution and finance professionals focus on higher-value work. — Ari Widlansky, Forbes.com, 1 Oct. 2026

Superconducting quantum computers typically don't implement this division of labor, with every qubit serving as both a processing element and a storage element. — New Atlas, 23 Sep. 2026

That division of labor resembles how complex financial transactions already work. — Charlotte Observer, 22 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1776, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for division of labor

• belabor
• nonlabor
• neighbor
• neighbour
• saber
• sabre
• tabor