noun / verb
partition
par-TISH-uhn/pɑːrˈtɪʃn/
The division of a whole into separate parts.
The wooden divider creates a partition of the room into two usable areas.
Etymology
From 'to divide,' partition first named division into shares. Its meaning then shifted from the division itself to the thing that separates, such as a physical divider between spaces.
In context
Diaphragm actually means fence or partition, and that's because the diaphragm literally separates the thoracic cavity from that lower abdominal cavity.
More examples
- We partition the garden into separate plots for each family.
- The software partitions the hard drive into two sections.
- The proposed partition of the country sparks fierce debate.
Forms
partition · partitions · partitioned · partitioning
Similar words
- division
- A broader term for splitting a whole into parts.
- separation
- Emphasizes keeping things apart, not necessarily dividing one whole.
- subdivision
- Often means dividing an existing part into smaller parts.