division
UK: dɪˈvɪʒ(ə)n | US: dɪˈvɪʒən
n. the act or process of dividing or separating something into parts
n. a disagreement or difference between members of a group
n. (mathematics) the operation of determining how many times one quantity is contained in another
n. (military) a large unit of an organization, such as an army
division = divid<to separate> + sion<noun suffix>
- divid (from Latin dividere, meaning "to separate, split, or distribute")
- sion (a noun-forming suffix derived from Latin -io, indicating an action or result)
Etymology Origin:
The word "division" traces back to Latin divisionem (nominative divisio), from the verb dividere ("to divide"). The root divid- reflects the core idea of splitting or distributing, while -sion transforms the action into a noun. Over time, the term expanded from physical separation (e.g., dividing land) to abstract concepts (e.g., mathematical operations, organizational units). The military sense emerged in the 17th century, metaphorically extending the idea of "splitting" into structured subunits.
The division of responsibilities among team members improved efficiency.
Political divisions within the party led to heated debates.
Long division is a fundamental arithmetic skill.
The infantry division was deployed to the northern border.
Cell division is a critical process in biological growth.