division
gb/dɪvˈɪʒən/ us/dɪvˈɪʒən/
A2
English
~ 1000
Senses
0 senses
Noun
B1
action
1
Act of separating into parts
When something is split into smaller parts or groups.
Usage pattern:
the division of [something] into [parts/groups]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'division' with 'department' in business contexts; 'division' can mean a department, but not always.
Synonyms
separation (More general; can refer to physical or abstract splitting.)
Antonyms
union (Bringing together rather than splitting apart.)
Collocations
division of labor
|cell division
|division of property
|deep division
|social division
Themes
mathematics
|organization
|general
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The division of the cake was fair, with everyone getting an equal slice.
- Political divisions in the country have grown stronger.
- Cell division is essential for growth and repair.
Learner examples
- The division of the class was into two groups.
- There is a clear division between the two teams.
- We studied cell division in science class.
Noun
B1
entity
2
Part of a larger organization
A section or department in a large company or group.
Usage pattern:
[organization]'s [specific] division
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'division' with 'branch'; 'branch' often refers to a location, while 'division' is an internal unit.
Synonyms
department (Often interchangeable, though 'department' is more common in government or education.)
Antonyms
whole (Refers to the complete organization without separate units.)
Collocations
marketing division
|military division
|regional division
Themes
business
|military
|work
Examples
- She works in the marketing division of the company.
- The army sent a tank division to the border.
- Our regional division handles all sales in Asia.
Learner examples
- I work in the sales division.
- The army has a new division.
- This division is very important to the company.
Noun
technical
A2
action
3
Mathematical operation of dividing numbers
In math, when you split a number by another number to see how many times it fits.
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse 'division' as a math term with its general meaning of separation.
Synonyms
splitting (Informal and less precise; only works in casual math explanations.)
Antonyms
multiplication (The opposite basic arithmetic operation to division.)
Collocations
long division
|division problem
|simple division
Themes
mathematics
|education
|science
Examples
- Division is the opposite of multiplication.
- We practiced long division in class today.
- The teacher wrote a difficult division problem on the board.
Learner examples
- Division is hard for me.
- We learned long division at school.
- This math problem needs division.
Noun
B2
state
4
Disagreement between people or groups
When people or groups do not agree and are in conflict.
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse this sense with physical separation; here it's about relationships and opinions.
Synonyms
discord (More formal; often used in literary contexts.)
Antonyms
harmony (A state of agreement and peaceful relations.)
Collocations
cause division
|political division
|deep divisions
Themes
emotions
|society
|relationships
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The policy created deep divisions within the community.
- Religious differences have caused divisions between neighbors.
- Social media can both connect and create divisions among people.
Learner examples
- There is a big division between the two groups.
- The new law made a lot of division in the city.
- Politics often makes division among friends.
Grammar
Dictionary form
division
IPA
GB/dɪvˈɪʒən/
US/dɪvˈɪʒən/
Syllables & stress
di - vi - sion (3 syllables)
Stress on 2nd syllable (vi)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: division
- Plural: division, divisions
Word family
Forms
divisions
noun
Core family
divide
verb A2
divider
noun
Related words
Negative and opposite forms
indivisible
adjective
Advanced or less common
divisive
adjective
divisibility
noun
Expressions
cell division
1/sˈɛl dɪvˈɪʒən/
fixed phrase
technical
Process of one cell splitting into others
When one cell splits into two or more cells in biology.
Examples
- Cell division is essential for growth and reproduction.
- Scientists studied how cell division is affected by radiation.
deep divisions
1/dˈip dɪvˈɪʒənz/
fixed phrase
Strong disagreements between groups/people
Very strong differences in opinion between people or groups.
Examples
- There are deep divisions within the political party.
- The debate revealed deep divisions in society.
division of labor
1/dɪvˈɪʒən əv lˈeɪbɚ/
fixed phrase
Splitting work into tasks for people/groups
When different people or groups do different parts of a job.
Examples
- The division of labor in the factory made production faster.
- In our project, there was a clear division of labor between research and writing.