division

IPA/dɪˈvɪʒn/
KK[dɪvˈɪʒən]IPA/dɪˈvɪʒn/

division — noun

  • divisionsingular
  • divisionsplural

1. the process of taking a whole thing, a group, or an amount and breaking it into

1.nounB1
Definition

the process of taking a whole thing, a group, or an amount and breaking it into smaller parts, or the way in which those parts are then shared or arranged

Example

The division of the estate among the four children took months to finalize.

division of [noun] among [plural noun] — sharing pattern

Mira oversaw the division of the warehouse into separate storage zones.

Common collocations
  • division of labour
  • division of responsibilities
  • division of property
  • fair division
  • cell division
Synonyms
  • splitting

    less formal, focuses on the physical act of breaking apart

  • separation

    emphasises putting distance between parts rather than organising them

  • partition

    formal, often used for dividing land, rooms, or data

Antonyms
  • union

    bringing parts together instead of separating them

  • merger

    used for companies or organisations joining together

Grammar Patterns

division + of + noun + into + plural noun

Usage Note

Uncountable when it refers to the act or process as a general idea (e.g. 'the division of labour'). Countable when it refers to a specific instance or result (e.g. 'a division of the land into three plots').

Common Mistakes

The divide of the bill was unfair.
The division of the bill was unfair.
'divide' as a noun is less common and has a different nuance (a split or gap); 'division' is the standard noun for this meaning.

2. a separate department or section within a large company, government, or military

2.nounB1
Definition

a separate department or section within a large company, government, or military force that has its own area of work and its own managers or leaders

Example

Saira works in the research division of a pharmaceutical company in Taipei.

The company's software division grew faster than any other part of the business.

software / marketing / finance division — typical noun + division pattern

Common collocations
  • head of division
  • division manager
  • sales division
  • marketing division
  • research division
  • infantry division
Synonyms
  • department

    smaller in scale; less autonomous than a division

  • section

    used for smaller units within a department

  • branch

    often a geographic office rather than a functional unit

Grammar Patterns

[adjective] division

division of [company name]

Usage Note

In business contexts, 'division' is larger and more autonomous than a 'department'. In military contexts, an army division typically contains 10,000–15,000 soldiers. Distinguish from sense 8 (ADMINISTRATIVE AREA), which refers to a geographical region rather than an organisational unit.

3. a set of sports teams or individual competitors that are grouped together in a l

3.nounB1
Definition

a set of sports teams or individual competitors that are grouped together in a league based on factors such as skill level, age, or body weight

Example

Their basketball team got promoted to the top division after winning every game.

promoted to / relegated from a division — common sports grammar

Vinícius competes in the under‑18 division of the national swimming championships.

Common collocations
  • top division
  • lower division
  • division title
  • division champion
  • promotion to a division
  • relegation from a division
Synonyms
  • league

    broader term that may include multiple divisions

  • tier

    emphasises the rank or level of the group

  • class

    used for weight or age categories in individual sports

Grammar Patterns

[league/competition] + division

Usage Note

Sports divisions are typically arranged hierarchically. Teams may be 'promoted' to a higher division or 'relegated' to a lower one based on their performance. In combat sports, the term refers to weight classes such as the 'welterweight division'.

4. the arithmetic process of determining what number results when you separate one

4.nounA2
Definition

the arithmetic process of determining what number results when you separate one quantity into a particular number of equal parts

Example

In maths class today the children practised division with numbers up to one hundred.

Division is the opposite of multiplication — if four times three is twelve, then twelve divided by four is three.

division as the inverse of multiplication

Common collocations
  • long division
  • division problem
  • division sign
  • division sum
  • short division
Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

division of [number] by [number]

Usage Note

Uncountable when referring to the general concept or school subject. For a single calculation, speakers typically say 'a division problem' or 'a division sum' rather than using 'division' countably. The symbol ÷ is read as 'divided by'.

Common Mistakes

I did a division.
I solved a division problem.
'Division' as a count noun for a single calculation sounds unnatural; use 'division problem' or 'division sum'.

5. a situation in which members of a group hold sharply different opinions or feeli

5.nounB2
Definition

a situation in which members of a group hold sharply different opinions or feelings, creating tension or conflict that pulls them apart

Example

Deep divisions within the party led to the resignation of two cabinet members.

deep divisions within [group] — intensifier + preposition pattern

There is a growing division between older and younger voters on the issue of housing.

Common collocations
  • deep division
  • sharp division
  • growing division
  • division of opinion
  • division among members
  • division between groups
Synonyms
  • split

    more informal; suggests the group has separated into opposing sides

  • rift

    implies a lasting, personal break in a relationship

  • discord

    more formal; emphasises the noisy, angry quality of the disagreement

Antonyms
  • unity

    the state of being joined together in agreement

  • harmony

    peaceful agreement and cooperation

Grammar Patterns

division + among/between + plural noun

Usage Note

Countable when referring to a specific instance or type of disagreement ('a division', 'several divisions'). Uncountable when referring to disagreement as a general state ('division among members'). Often paired with the adjectives 'deep', 'sharp', or 'growing'.

Common Mistakes

There is division between me and my brother about the TV programme.
I disagreed with my brother about the TV programme.
'Division' is too strong for everyday personal disagreements; it implies serious or lasting splits within groups, not casual differences.

6. one of the pieces or shares that something has been split into

6.nounB2
Definition

one of the pieces or shares that something has been split into

Example

Each division of the inheritance was placed into a separate bank account.

The book is organised into three main divisions, each covering a different century.

main divisions of a book — typical for texts/works

Common collocations
  • main division
  • first division
  • division of the book
  • division of the report
Synonyms
  • section

    neutral; used for any part of a structured whole

  • portion

    suggests a share allocated to someone or something

  • segment

    often used for parts of a line, circle, or market

Grammar Patterns

division + of + noun

Usage Note

Overlaps somewhat with sense 1 (SEPARATION). Sense 1 focuses on the act or process of separating; sense 6 focuses on the resulting piece or section itself. Use 'division' for formal, structured splits (chapters of a book, sections of a report, parts of an inheritance). For everyday portions, 'part' or 'section' is more natural.

7. a physical line, barrier, or feature that marks where one area or thing ends and

7.nounC1
Definition

a physical line, barrier, or feature that marks where one area or thing ends and another begins

Example

The mountain range forms a natural division between the two countries.

natural division between [area] and [area]

A wide river served as the division between the farming region and the forest.

Common collocations
  • natural division
  • division between
  • political division
  • geographical division
Synonyms
  • boundary

    more formal; the official line between two areas

  • border

    used for political boundaries between countries or states

  • dividing line

    more explicit; can be physical or abstract

Grammar Patterns

division + between + noun + and + noun

Usage Note

Distinguish from sense 8 (ADMINISTRATIVE AREA). Sense 7 refers to the boundary itself — a line, wall, river, or mountain — whereas sense 8 refers to the territory on either side of the boundary. This sense can also be used figuratively for conceptual boundaries (e.g. between historical periods).

8. a named area within a country, state, or city that is treated as a separate unit

8.nounB2
Definition

a named area within a country, state, or city that is treated as a separate unit for government, elections, or official record-keeping

Example

The city is split into five administrative divisions, each with its own mayor's office.

administrative division — standard term

Hannah's village belongs to the northern division of the county.

Common collocations
  • administrative division
  • electoral division
  • census division
  • northern division
  • southern division
Synonyms
  • district

    usually smaller; often used for local government areas within a city

  • region

    broader; may or may not have official administrative status

  • province

    formal term used in many countries for large administrative areas

Grammar Patterns

[proper noun] + division

Usage Note

Different countries use different terms for their administrative divisions: 'state', 'province', 'prefecture', 'department', 'region'. 'Division' is the generic term applicable across systems, and is also the official term in some countries (e.g. India's administrative divisions). Distinguish from sense 2 (ORGANIZATION UNIT), which refers to a unit within a company or army rather than a geographical territory.

Idioms

divide and rule

idiom

a strategy of keeping people in a group in conflict with one another so that they are easier to control

The colonial government used a policy of divide and rule to prevent local tribes from uniting against it.

Some managers use a divide and rule approach to stay in power by setting team members against each other.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/5

All four words describe a lack of agreement within a group, but they differ in intensity and scope. 'Division' is the broadest term — it refers to a clear separation of opinion or interest, often within an organisation or society. 'Split' is more informal and suggests the group has actively separated into opposing sides (e.g. 'the split in the board over pay'). 'Rift' implies a deep, often personal, break in a relationship that may be difficult to repair ('the rift between the two families'). 'Conflict' is the strongest and most general — it covers everything from mild disagreement to open fighting, and can be used for personal, group, or international situations. 'Discord' is formal and literary, focusing on the unpleasant, noisy quality of disagreement ('discord among the council members'). In everyday speech, 'division' and 'split' are the most natural choices; 'rift' is used when the relationship damage is personal; 'discord' is rare outside formal writing.

split ↗rift ↗conflict ↗discord ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • division of labour
  • division of power
  • division of opinion
  • fair division
  • division of responsibilities

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinOld FrenchEnglish

Division came into English in the 1300s from Old French 'division', which came from Latin 'divisionem' (a dividing, separation, distribution), from 'dividere' (to divide). The Latin 'dividere' is formed from 'dis-' (apart) and an old root '-videre' (to separate). The mathematical sense developed in the late 1300s. The business/military unit sense appeared in the 1500s, and the sports league sense emerged in the late 1800s with the rise of organised competitive leagues.