par·ti·tion
pär-ˈti-shən 
pər-
1
2
: something that divides
especially
: an interior dividing wall
The bank teller sat behind a glass partition.
3
: one of the parts or sections of a whole
The estate was divided into three partitions.
partitioned; partitioning; partitions
1
a
: to divide into parts or shares
b
: to divide (a place, such as a country) into two or more territorial units having separate political status
2
: to separate or divide by a partition (such as a wall)
—often used with off
Examples of partition in a Sentence
Noun
A thin partition separates the two rooms in the cabin.
Folding partitions separate the different banquet halls in the building.
The bank teller sat behind a glass partition.
the partition of former Yugoslavia
the partition of Korea into North and South Korea
Verb
It was necessary to partition the work to be done to make the job easier to accomplish.
The room is partitioned into four sections.
After the war, the country was partitioned.
Recent Examples on the Web
Anne Gelhaus, The Mercury News, 29 Mar. 2024
The hard stop caused Sanchez-Mayen to be thrown forward, and his head struck a metal partition, according to the suit and video.
—Eric Levenson, CNN, 20 Mar. 2024
And in 1946, the Labor Zionists again offered partition: in effect, a political border that would augment areas of Mandatory Palestine already with a large Jewish concentration to accommodate the arrival of Jewish refugees.
—Frederick Kaufman, Harper's Magazine, 26 Feb. 2024
How to Incorporate More Glass Finishes into Your Home
This year, glass has made a big splash in large formats—think partition walls that help divide spaces while allowing light to flow through.
—Maggie Gillette, Better Homes & Gardens, 26 Dec. 2023
The house showcases triangular shapes in its layout, offering unique, dynamic spaces with angular walls or partitions.
—Wendy Bowman, Robb Report, 29 Mar. 2024
The two sides of the suitcase are divided by a lightweight zippered partition that houses a half-zippered pocket for thin items like undergarments and accessories.
—Jillian Dara, Travel + Leisure, 25 Mar. 2024
Courtesy Megan Kothari The story struck a chord with South Asian users, most of whom have their own partition stories to tell, Kothari said.
—Sakshi Venkatraman, NBC News, 1 Mar. 2024
Jacobson: Following partition, there were different paths that could have been taken.
—Emily Bazelon, New York Times, 1 Feb. 2024
The Arizona Republic, 4 Apr. 2024
The authors generated state-level rape estimates by partitioning the national data according to state-level information from FBI crime reports, which included rapes that were reported to police in 2019.
—Tanya Lewis, Scientific American, 25 Jan. 2024
Putin’s invasion was not just a wager that Ukraine would fall and that Russia could then control or partition the country.
—Liana Fix, Foreign Affairs, 12 Sep. 2023
Expansive stretches of farmland dotted with sheep and cattle, deep gorges and steel bridges, views of waterfalls and one of New Zealand’s longest tunnels await travelers on this spectacular ride, which cuts through the mountains that partition New Zealand’s South Island.
—Shraddha Chowdhury, Condé Nast Traveler, 1 Dec. 2023
As discussed earlier, Z/OS can be partitioned into separate logical partitions, each with separate hardware, permissions, workloads, and even different operating systems.
—Andrew Hudson, Ars Technica, 24 July 2023
Dynamically reconfigurable system partitioning Equivalent separate mainframe units, or logical partitions (LPARs), can be created through the use of I/O controllers, mainframe permissions, and user-configurable CPUs.
—Andrew Hudson, Ars Technica, 24 July 2023
Before heirs’ property can be partitioned and sold, the law requires courts to provide notice to all heirs and enlist an independent appraiser to determine the property’s true market value.
—Amelia Winger, Miami Herald, 26 Jan. 2024
When Poland was partitioned and Danzig fell into German hands, its significance as a port city dwindled.
—Danuta Hamlin, Fox News, 1 Sep. 2023
Noun
March 15 Vandalism: At 11:30 p.m., multiple people entered the Saratoga High School campus and broke a vending machine’s glass partition.
—Anne Gelhaus, The Mercury News, 29 Mar. 2024
The hard stop caused Sanchez-Mayen to be thrown forward, and his head struck a metal partition, according to the suit and video.
—Eric Levenson, CNN, 20 Mar. 2024
And in 1946, the Labor Zionists again offered partition: in effect, a political border that would augment areas of Mandatory Palestine already with a large Jewish concentration to accommodate the arrival of Jewish refugees.
—Frederick Kaufman, Harper's Magazine, 26 Feb. 2024
How to Incorporate More Glass Finishes into Your Home
This year, glass has made a big splash in large formats—think partition walls that help divide spaces while allowing light to flow through.
—Maggie Gillette, Better Homes & Gardens, 26 Dec. 2023
The house showcases triangular shapes in its layout, offering unique, dynamic spaces with angular walls or partitions.
—Wendy Bowman, Robb Report, 29 Mar. 2024
The two sides of the suitcase are divided by a lightweight zippered partition that houses a half-zippered pocket for thin items like undergarments and accessories.
—Jillian Dara, Travel + Leisure, 25 Mar. 2024
Courtesy Megan Kothari The story struck a chord with South Asian users, most of whom have their own partition stories to tell, Kothari said.
—Sakshi Venkatraman, NBC News, 1 Mar. 2024
Jacobson: Following partition, there were different paths that could have been taken.
—Emily Bazelon, New York Times, 1 Feb. 2024
Verb
The interior now is partitioned into a bar area with high tops and bar stools where sports fans can enjoy pizza and drinks while watching their favorite teams play.
—The Arizona Republic, 4 Apr. 2024
The authors generated state-level rape estimates by partitioning the national data according to state-level information from FBI crime reports, which included rapes that were reported to police in 2019.
—Tanya Lewis, Scientific American, 25 Jan. 2024
Putin’s invasion was not just a wager that Ukraine would fall and that Russia could then control or partition the country.
—Liana Fix, Foreign Affairs, 12 Sep. 2023
Expansive stretches of farmland dotted with sheep and cattle, deep gorges and steel bridges, views of waterfalls and one of New Zealand’s longest tunnels await travelers on this spectacular ride, which cuts through the mountains that partition New Zealand’s South Island.
—Shraddha Chowdhury, Condé Nast Traveler, 1 Dec. 2023
As discussed earlier, Z/OS can be partitioned into separate logical partitions, each with separate hardware, permissions, workloads, and even different operating systems.
—Andrew Hudson, Ars Technica, 24 July 2023
Dynamically reconfigurable system partitioning Equivalent separate mainframe units, or logical partitions (LPARs), can be created through the use of I/O controllers, mainframe permissions, and user-configurable CPUs.
—Andrew Hudson, Ars Technica, 24 July 2023
Before heirs’ property can be partitioned and sold, the law requires courts to provide notice to all heirs and enlist an independent appraiser to determine the property’s true market value.
—Amelia Winger, Miami Herald, 26 Jan. 2024
When Poland was partitioned and Danzig fell into German hands, its significance as a port city dwindled.
—Danuta Hamlin, Fox News, 1 Sep. 2023
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'partition.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Phrases Containing partition
Dictionary Entries Near partition
Cite this Entry
“Partition.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/partition. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.
Copy Citation
Kids Definition
partition
noun
par·ti·tion
pər-ˈtish-ən,
pär-
partition
verb
partitioner
noun
-ˈtish-(ə-)nər
Medical Definition
partition
noun
par·ti·tion
pär-ˈtish-ən
: the distribution of a substance between two immiscible phases in contact at equilibrium and especially between two liquids
partition
transitive verb
Legal Definition
partition
noun
par·ti·tion
pär-ˈti-shən
: the severance voluntarily or by legal proceedings of common or undivided interests in property and especially real property : division into severalty of property held jointly or in common or the sale of such property by a court with division of the proceeds
partition
transitive verb
More from Merriam-Webster on partition
Nglish: Translation of partition for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of partition for Arabic Speakers
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about partition
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