de·part·ment
Pronounced:
/dɪˈpɑɚtmənt/
Function:
nounInflected forms:
plural de·part·mentsMeaning:
[count] 1 : one of the major parts of a company, organization, government, or school ▪ Your letter has been forwarded to our sales department. ▪ When you get to the hospital, go directly to the X-ray department. ▪ the country's energy department ▪ the Department of Defense = the Defense Department ▪ the county sheriff's department ▪ the university's math and science departments ▪ the department of modern languages ▪ the college's athletic department ▪ She joined the town's police department. —abbr. dept. —see also fire department
2 : an area in a store where a particular kind of product is sold ▪ the toy department ▪ “Which department should we go to first?” “I'd like to start in the men's department.” [=the part of the store that sells clothing for men]
3 informal a : a subject or activity that a person is interested in or responsible for ▪ Taking care of the cat is not my department. [=responsibility] b often humorous —used to say that someone or something has or does not have a particular quality ▪ She's sweet, but she's somewhat lacking in the intelligence department. [=she is not very intelligent] ▪ He does pretty well in the looks department. [=he is attractive] ▪ Both cars do well in the safety department. [=both cars are safe to drive]
2 : an area in a store where a particular kind of product is sold ▪ the toy department ▪ “Which department should we go to first?” “I'd like to start in the men's department.” [=the part of the store that sells clothing for men]
3 informal a : a subject or activity that a person is interested in or responsible for ▪ Taking care of the cat is not my department. [=responsibility] b often humorous —used to say that someone or something has or does not have a particular quality ▪ She's sweet, but she's somewhat lacking in the intelligence department. [=she is not very intelligent] ▪ He does pretty well in the looks department. [=he is attractive] ▪ Both cars do well in the safety department. [=both cars are safe to drive]
—de·part·men·tal /dɪˌpɑɚtˈmɛntl̟/ adjective ▪ departmental responsibilities ▪ the departmental budget
/dɪˌpɑɚtˈmɛntl̟/ adjective ▪ departmental responsibilities ▪ the departmental budget