1 : the act or process of dividing something into parts : the way that something is divided [noncount] ▪ the process of cell division [singular] ▪ a division of profits into equal shares ▪ Their society has a clear division of labor between men and women. [=in their society, the men do one kind of work and the women do another kind of work] 2 [count] : something that physically divides or separates something else — often + between ▪ A line of trees served as a division between our property and theirs. 3 [noncount] mathematics : the process of finding out how many times one number is contained in another
▪ After learning multiplication, the students were taught division. — see also long division 4 [count] : a group of people who do a particular job within a larger organization (such as a government, business, or school)
▪ She was transferred to a different division within the company. ▪ He worked for many years in the news division [=department] of a major television network. 5 [count] : a large military group
▪ The infantry division is made up of five brigades. 6 [count] a : a group of teams that form one section of a sports league
▪ There are five teams in the league's western division. ▪ Both divisions in the league have agreed to the new rules. ▪ teams that are in the first/second division
b : a group of people who are similar in age, size, etc., and who compete against each other — usually singular ▪ She finished third in her division at the national championships. ▪ boxers competing in the heavyweight division 7 : a situation in which different groups, countries, etc., have different opinions, beliefs, or ways of life that separate them from each other [count] ▪ We're attempting to resolve the divisions [=disagreements] between our two countries. ▪ There were serious divisions within the party on a number of issues. ▪ The book explores the racial and economic divisions in/of our society. [noncount] ▪ The issue caused division within the group. 8 [count] : any one of the parts or groups that form something : section
▪ a major division of the earth's surface