division
dih-VIHZHN
Division (noun) means the act of splitting something into separate parts, or one of those resulting parts. Example: “The division of the cake into eight equal slices took some care.”
noun
1
The act of splitting something into separate parts, or one of those resulting parts.
"The division of the cake into eight equal slices took some care."
"The company's European division reported strong growth this quarter."
"The cell undergoes division to form two new cells."
2
In mathematics, the process of calculating how many times one number contains another.
"Division is easier once you know your times tables well."
"Her answer was wrong because she made a mistake in the division."
"The children were just learning long division at school."
3
A large military unit, usually made up of several brigades.
"The infantry division marched across the plain before it camped for the night."
"Each division in the army has its own headquarters."
"The general commanded an entire armoured division."
4
Disagreement or a difference of opinion between groups.
"Growing division between the neighbours made the street meeting very tense."
"The vote revealed a deep division among the members about the new rules."
"There was clear division within the party over the new policy."
5
A league or grouping of sports teams competing at a similar level.
"Our local club plays in the second division this season."
"They dropped to a lower division after losing most of their matches."
"The team was promoted to the top division after a strong season."
How to use division
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishSplitting something up — a number, an organisation, an army, or a group of people's opinions — or the part or group that results.
Common pairings
long division
sales division
cause division
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Word forms
- Plural
- divisions
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The _____ of the cake into eight equal slices took some care.
Etymology
From Old French division, from Latin dīvīsiō, built on dīvidō, "to divide".
Synonyms
View more →Antonyms
Related words
Rhymes for division
region
ablation
allusion
emulsion
ideation
novation
diffusion
elocution
extension
oxidation
perfusion
selection
See all rhymes for division →
Frequently asked questions
What does “division” mean?
The word “division” means the act of splitting something into separate parts, or one of those resulting parts. In plain terms, splitting something up — a number, an organisation, an army, or a group of people's opinions — or the part or group that results.
How do you pronounce “division”?
“Division” is pronounced dih-VIHZHN (/dɪˈvɪʒn̩/ in IPA).
How do you use “division” in a sentence?
Here is “division” used in a sentence: “The company's European division reported strong growth this quarter.”
What is another word for “division”?
Words with a similar meaning to “division” include divisio and phylum.
What part of speech is “division”?
“Division” is a noun.
Where does the word “division” come from?
The word “division” comes from Latin. From Old French division, from Latin dīvīsiō, built on dīvidō, "to divide".
Is “division” a common word?
“Division” is a very common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B2 level.
How many meanings does “division” have?
“Division” has 5 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: the act of splitting something into separate parts, or one of those resulting parts.
What are the different meanings of division?
"Division" carries several senses from one core idea of splitting. In maths it is the operation of sharing a number into equal parts. In an organisation it is a section or department. In sport it is a league tier. It can also mean disagreement, as in division between groups. All stem from dividing something up.
What is the difference between division and multiplication?
They are opposite arithmetic operations. Multiplication combines equal groups to find a total — three groups of four make twelve. Division does the reverse, splitting a total into equal parts — twelve shared into three groups gives four. Each undoes the other, which is why they are taught together as inverse operations.
What is the opposite of division?
It depends on the sense. In arithmetic, the opposite is multiplication. In the sense of splitting apart, opposites include union, unity, and combination. When division means disagreement between people, its opposites are unity, harmony, and togetherness. So the antonym shifts with whether you mean the maths, the act, or the social meaning.
What is an example of a division?
In a company, the sales division is one example — a distinct department handling one area of the business. In maths, twenty divided by four is a division problem. In sport, a team might play in the second division. Each shows the same idea: a whole separated into defined, named parts.
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