department
/dɪˈpɑːtmənt/ (bre, ipa) · /dɪˈpɑːrtmənt/ (ame, ipa) · /di-ˈpärt-mənt/ (ame, mw)
department — noun
- departmentsingular
- departmentsplural
1. Any of the separate parts of a company, college, or government that deal with a
Any of the separate parts of a company, college, or government that deal with a particular activity or subject.
The history department at City University hired a new professor from Kyoto.
common pattern: [subject] + department
Manuela works in the sales department of a large electronics company.
common pattern: [function] + department
Each government department is responsible for a different policy area such as health or education.
The accounting department sends out invoices on the first day of each month.
After the merger, the company created a new department to handle overseas clients.
- division
Often larger or more formal than a department; used in military and corporate contexts
- unit
Smaller and more operational than a department; can refer to a team within a department
- section
A part of a department; more specific and usually smaller in scope
- branch
Suggests a physical location or regional office rather than a functional division
文法句型
department + of + [area/subject]
[area/subject] + department
常見錯誤
2. One of the official areas that France and some other countries are divided into
One of the official areas that France and some other countries are divided into for local government and administration.
The Lakan family moved to the department of Vaucluse in southern France.
collocation: department of [place name]
Every French department elects its own council to manage local services.
The department of Gironde produces some of the finest wines in the world.
Jabari cycled through six departments during his summer holiday in France.
- province
A larger administrative area used in many countries; broader than a French département
- region
In France, a région is a level above département — several departments make up a region
- administrative area
A general term for any territorial division with its own government
文法句型
the department of + [place name]
[place name] department
用法筆記
A French département is larger than a city but smaller than a région. Mainland France has 96 departments, and overseas territories add 5 more, making 101 in total. The word is capitalised when used as part of a proper name ('the Department of Gironde').
常見錯誤
3. A particular area of knowledge, responsibility, or activity that a specific pers
A particular area of knowledge, responsibility, or activity that a specific person handles or knows well.
Tax questions are not really my department — please speak to our accountant.
expression: not my department
Product design is Femi's department, so he makes the final call on all new models.
pattern: possessive + department
Dealing with noise complaints is the building manager's department, not the landlord's.
Organizing the office party is your department this year since you offered to handle it.
- domain
More formal and broader; suggests an area of knowledge or activity one controls
- field
Neutral and widely used; emphasises a subject area rather than responsibility
- responsibility
Direct and clear; focuses on duty rather than expertise
- province
Formal, slightly old-fashioned; similar meaning to 'department' in this sense
文法句型
possessive + department
not [possessive] + department
用法筆記
Frequently used in possessive or negative constructions ('not my department', 'somebody's department') to clarify who is responsible for what. The sense is always singular and typically informal.
常見錯誤
4. One specific feature or trait of something, used especially in informal comparis
One specific feature or trait of something, used especially in informal comparisons or judgements to limit the focus to one area.
The film was quite enjoyable, at least in the entertainment department it delivered well.
expression: in the ___ department
His cooking is excellent in the taste department but could use some work on presentation.
The apartment is lacking in the space department, though the location is hard to beat.
In the reliability department, this old car has never once let us down.
文法句型
in the + [quality] + department
用法筆記
Used almost exclusively in the fixed phrase 'in the [abstract noun] department', where the noun is a quality like taste, space, reliability, or entertainment. Always informal and slightly humorous or light-hearted.