rhizoverbBeta
DictionaryRoot: -ment
Old French

-ment

an action, state, or result

Forms

  • -ment

Origin

Old French retained and shortened Latin -mentum.

Note

This noun ending is separate from the French adverb ending -ment, historically meaning “with a … mind.”

20 / 37
Small hospital pharmacy division with pharmacist sorting medicine separately behind counter while other care area visible beyond; no labels or text.
noun

department

dih-PART-munt/dɪˈpɑːrtmənt/

A distinct division responsible for a particular function.

Etymology
deLatindown, away; removal
+partLatindivide or share out
+mentOld Frenchan action, state, or result

The underlying idea is division or sharing out. Through the sense “group of people,” department came to name a distinct branch of a larger organization with its own assigned business.

Full entry

Related word entries