division

division [də vizh′ən]

n.

[ME divisioun < L divisio < divisus, pp. of dividere]

1. a dividing or being divided; separation

2. a sharing or apportioning; distribution

3. a difference of opinion; disagreement

4. a separation into groups in voting

5. anything that divides; partition; boundary

6. anything separated or distinguished from the whole or from the larger unit of which it is a part, as

a) a particular section of a country, state, etc. divided off as for administration

b) a particular department of a government, business, school, or other organization

c) a particular rank or kind, as of students or athletes, based on achievement, age, sex, etc.

d) a segment, as of the body

7. Biol. a major category in the classification of living organisms, esp. plants, ranking above a class and below a kingdom: it can include one class or many similar classes: the Latinized division names are capitalized but not italicized (Ex.: Pinophyta, gymnosperms): cf. PHYLUM (n. 1)

8. Hort. a form of plant propagation in which new plants are grown from segments detached from the parent plant

9. Math. the process of finding how many times a number (the divisor) is contained in another number (the dividend): the number of times equals the quotient

10. Mil. a major tactical or administrative unit that can act independently and is under one command; specif.,

a) an army unit larger than a regiment and smaller than a corps, to which various numbers and types of battalions can be attached as required

b) a tactical subdivision of a naval squadron

c) an air force unit of two or more combat wings

SYN.- PART¹

divisional

adj.