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division

/dəˈvɪʒən/

/dɪˈvɪʒɪn/

Other forms: divisions

Division is breaking something down into parts, splitting it up. When you have division of labor, everybody does her part.

Division is a noun. It refers to taking a hunk — of pie, clothes, numbers, people — and splitting it into smaller bits. A division in the military sense is a group large enough to go to battle. Blame British mathematician John Pell for the long division you learned in math class (but proceeded to forget once you discovered the calculator). Any way you slice it, division is the process of separating something into smaller parts.

Definitions of division
  1. noun
    the act of dividing or partitioning; separation by the creation of a boundary that divides or keeps apart
    synonyms: partition, partitioning, sectionalisation, sectionalization, segmentation
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    types:
    subdivision
    the act of subdividing; division of something previously divided
    septation
    the division or partitioning of a cavity into parts by a septum
    zoning
    dividing an area into zones or sections reserved for different purposes such as residence and business and manufacturing etc
    type of:
    separation
    the act of dividing or disconnecting
  2. noun
    the act or process of dividing
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    parcellation
    the division into parcels
    cleavage
    the act of cleaving or splitting
    bisection
    dividing into two equal parts
    quartering
    dividing into four equal parts
    schism, split
    division of a group into opposing factions
    cut, cutting
    the act of cutting something into parts
    atomisation, atomization, fragmentation
    separating something into fine particles
    branching, fork, forking, ramification
    the act of branching out or dividing into branches
    dichotomisation, dichotomization
    the act of dividing into two sharply different categories
    quantisation, quantization
    the act of dividing into quanta or expressing in terms of quantum theory
    fractionation
    separation into portions
    syllabication, syllabification
    forming or dividing words into syllables
    hyphenation, word division
    division of a word especially at the end of a line on a page
    cut, cutting
    the division of a deck of cards before dealing
    severance, severing
    the act of severing
    dissection
    the act of cutting so as to separate into pieces
    scission
    the act of dividing by cutting or splitting
    slicing
    the act of cutting into slices
    undercut
    a cut made underneath to remove material
    bifurcation
    the act of splitting into two branches
    trifurcation
    the act of splitting into three branches
    divarication
    branching at a wide angle
    fibrillation
    act or process of forming fibrils
    type of:
    separation
    the act of dividing or disconnecting
  3. noun
    an arithmetic operation that is the inverse of multiplication; the quotient of two numbers is computed
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    types:
    long division
    the operation of division in which the sequence of steps are indicated in detail
    short division
    the operation of division in which the sequence of steps is performed without writing them out
    type of:
    arithmetic operation
    a mathematical operation involving numbers
  4. noun
    one of the portions into which something is regarded as divided and which together constitute a whole
    “the BBC's engineering division
    synonyms: part, section
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    frame
    one of the ten divisions into which bowling is divided
    beginning
    the first part or section of something
    middle
    an intermediate part or section
    end
    a final part or section
    high point
    the most enjoyable part of a given experience
    component, constituent, element, factor, ingredient
    an abstract part of something
    chukka, chukker
    (polo) one of six divisions into which a polo match is divided
    frame, inning
    (baseball) one of nine divisions of play during which each team has a turn at bat
    game
    (tennis) a division of play during which one player serves
    bout, round, turn
    (sports) a division during which one team is on the offensive
    first period
    the first division into which the play of a game is divided
    second period
    the second division into which the play of a game is divided
    final period
    the final division into which the play of a game is divided
    half
    one of two divisions into which some games or performances are divided: the two divisions are separated by an interval
    period
    (ice hockey) one of three divisions into which play is divided in hockey games
    quarter
    (football, professional basketball) one of four divisions into which some games are divided
    over
    (cricket) the division of play during which six balls are bowled at the batsman by one player from the other team from the same end of the pitch
    be all and end all, be-all and end-all
    the essential factor; the all-important element; the supreme aim
    plot element
    a component or element of the plot of a story
    point
    a geometric element that has position but no extension
    top, top of the inning
    the first half of an inning; while the visiting team is at bat
    bottom, bottom of the inning
    the second half of an inning; while the home team is at bat
    first half
    the first of two halves of play
    last half, second half
    the second of two halves of play
    maiden, maiden over
    (cricket) an over in which no runs are scored
    counterpoint
    an element, idea, or argument used to create a contrast
    type of:
    concept, conception, construct
    an abstract or general idea inferred or derived from specific instances
  5. noun
    an army unit large enough to sustain combat
    “two infantry divisions were held in reserve”
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    Special Forces, U. S. Army Special Forces, United States Army Special Forces
    a division of the United States Army that is specially trained for guerilla fighting
    type of:
    army unit
    a military unit that is part of an army
  6. noun
    a unit of the United States Air Force usually comprising two or more wings
    synonyms: air division
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    type of:
    air unit
    a military unit that is part of the airforce
  7. noun
    a group of ships of similar type
    synonyms: naval division
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    type of:
    naval unit
    a military unit that is part of a navy
  8. noun
    an administrative unit in government or business
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    department, section
    a specialized division of a large organization
    arm, branch, subdivision
    a division of some larger or more complex organization
    academic department
    a division of a school that is responsible for a given subject
    business department
    a division of a business firm
    personnel, personnel department, personnel office, staff office
    the department responsible for hiring and training and placing employees and for setting policies for personnel management
    government department
    a department of government
    payroll, payroll department
    the department that determines the amounts of wage or salary due to each employee
    security, security department
    a department responsible for the security of the institution's property and workers
    local post office, post office
    a local branch where postal services are available"
    Executive Office of the President, executive branch
    the branch of the United States government that is responsible for carrying out the laws
    legislative branch
    the branch of the United States government that has the power of legislating
    judicial branch
    the branch of the United States government responsible for the administration of justice
    type of:
    administrative body, administrative unit
    a unit with administrative responsibilities
  9. noun
    a league ranked by quality
    “Princeton is in the NCAA Division 1-AA”
    synonyms: class
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    type of:
    conference, league
    an association of sports teams that organizes matches for its members
  10. noun
    discord that splits a group
    synonyms: variance
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    type of:
    discord, dissension
    disagreement among those expected to cooperate
  11. noun
    (botany) taxonomic unit of plants corresponding to a phylum
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    Protista, division Protista
    eukaryotic one-celled living organisms distinct from multicellular plants and animals: protozoa, slime molds, and eukaryotic algae
    Thallophyta
    used only in former classifications: comprising what is now considered a heterogeneous assemblage of flowerless and seedless organisms: algae; bacteria; fungi; lichens
    Tracheophyta, division Tracheophyta
    in former classifications: comprising plants with a vascular system including ferns and fern allies as well as seed plants
    Bryophyta, division Bryophyta
    a division of nonflowering plants characterized by rhizoids rather than true roots and having little or no organized vascular tissue and showing alternation of generations between gamete-bearing forms and spore-bearing forms; comprises true mosses (Bryopsida) and liverworts (Hepaticopsida) and hornworts (Anthoceropsida)
    Pteridophyta, division Pteridophyta
    containing all the vascular plants that do not bear seeds: ferns, horsetails, club mosses, and whisk ferns; in some classifications considered a subdivision of Tracheophyta
    Spermatophyta, division Spermatophyta
    seed plants; comprises the Angiospermae (or Magnoliophyta) and Gymnospermae (or Gymnospermophyta); in some classification systems Spermatophyta is coordinate with Pteridophyta (spore producing plants having vascular tissue and roots) and Bryophyta (spore producing plants lacking vascular tissue and roots)
    Phanerogamae
    in former classification systems: one of two major plant divisions, including all seed-bearing plants; superseded by the division Spermatophyta
    Cryptogamia
    in former classification systems: one of two major plant divisions, including all plants that do not bear seeds: ferns, mosses, algae, fungi
    Pteropsida, subdivision Pteropsida
    used in former classifications to include all ferns and flowering plants and divided into the three classes Filicinae and Gymnospermae and Angiospermae
    Zygomycota, Zygomycotina, subdivision Zygomycota, subdivision Zygomycotina
    division of fungi having sexually produced zygospores
    Gymnomycota, Myxomycota, division Gymnomycota, division Myxomycota
    slime molds; organisms having a noncellular and multinucleate creeping vegetative phase and a propagative spore-producing stage: comprises Myxomycetes and Acrasiomycetes; in some classifications placed in the kingdom Protoctista
    Mastigomycota, Mastigomycotina, subdivision Mastigomycota, subdivision Mastigomycotina
    fungi in which the spores and gametes are motile; in some systems placed in the Phycomycetes group with the Zygomycota
    Lichenes, division Lichenes
    comprising the lichens which grow symbiotically with algae; sometimes treated as an independent group more or less coordinate with algae and fungi
    Eumycota, division Eumycota
    true fungi; eukaryotic heterotrophic walled organisms; distinguished from Myxomycota (funguslike slime molds): comprises subdivisions Mastigomycotina; Zygomycotina; Ascomycotina; Basidiomycotina; Deuteromycotina (imperfect fungi)
    Deuteromycota, Deuteromycotina, Fungi imperfecti, subdivision Deuteromycota, subdivision Deuteromycotina
    large and heterogeneous form division of fungi comprising forms for which no sexually reproductive stage is known
    Basidiomycota, Basidiomycotina, subdivision Basidiomycota, subdivision Basidiomycotina
    comprises fungi bearing the spores on a basidium; includes Gasteromycetes (puffballs) and Tiliomycetes comprising the orders Ustilaginales (smuts) and Uredinales (rusts) and Hymenomycetes (mushrooms, toadstools, agarics and bracket fungi); in some classification systems considered a division of kingdom Fungi
    Ascomycota, Ascomycotina, subdivision Ascomycota, subdivision Ascomycotina
    a large subdivision of Eumycota including Hemiascomycetes and Plectomycetes and Pyrenomycetes and Discomycetes; sac fungi; in some classification systems considered a division of the kingdom Fungi
    Lycophyta
    used in some classifications for the class Lycopsida: club mosses
    type of:
    phylum
    (biology) the major taxonomic group of animals and plants; contains classes
  12. noun
    (biology) a group of organisms forming a subdivision of a larger category
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    division Archaebacteria
    in some classifications considered a kingdom
    division Eubacteria
    one-celled monerans having simple cells with rigid walls and (in motile types) flagella
    Cyanophyta, division Cyanophyta
    prokaryotic organisms sometimes considered a class or phylum or subkingdom; coextensive with the Cyanophyceae: cyanobacteria (blue-green algae)
    Schizophyta, division Schizophyta
    former term for the Cyanophyta
    Heterokontophyta, division Heterokontophyta
    algae having chlorophyll a and usually c, and flagella of unequal lengths; terminology supersedes Chrysophyta in some classifications
    Chrysophyta, division Chrysophyta
    mostly freshwater eukaryotic algae having the chlorophyll masked by brown or yellow pigment; yellow-green and golden-brown algae and diatoms: Xanthophyceae, Chrysophyceae, Bacillariophyceae; some classification systems superseded or subsumed by Heterokontophyta
    Phaeophyta, division Phaeophyta
    coextensive with class Phaeophyceae; in some classifications subsumed in the division Heterokontophyta
    Euglenophyta, division Euglenophyta
    free-swimming flagellate algae
    Chlorophyta, division Chlorophyta
    large division of chiefly freshwater eukaryotic algae that possess chlorophyll a and b, store food as starch, and cellulose cell walls; classes Chlorophyceae, Ulvophyceae, and Charophyceae; obviously ancestral to land plants
    Rhodophyta, division Rhodophyta
    lower plants; mostly marine and littoral eukaryotic algae
    Cynodontia, division Cynodontia
    a division of the order Therapsida from the Triassic period comprising small carnivorous tetrapod reptiles often with mammal-like teeth
    Dicynodontia, division Dicynodontia
    a division of Therapsida
    Pisces
    a group of vertebrates comprising both cartilaginous and bony fishes and sometimes including the jawless vertebrates; not used technically
    form division
    an artificial taxonomic category for organisms of which the true relationships are obscure
    type of:
    biological group
    a group of plants or animals
Pronunciation
US

/dəˈvɪʒən/

UK

/dɪˈvɪʒɪn/

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