compartment

 
Pronunciation: /kəmˈpɑːtm(ə)nt/

noun

  • 1a separate section or part of a structure or container: there’s some ice cream in the freezer compartment
  • a division of a railway carriage marked by partitions: a first-class compartment
  • a division of a ship’s hull: the aft cargo compartment
  • an area in which something can be considered in isolation from other things: religion and politics should be kept in different compartments
  • 2 Heraldry a grassy mound or other support depicted below a shield.

verb

[with object]
  • divide (something) into separate parts or sections: the buildings are to be compartmented by fire walls

Derivatives

compartmentation

Pronunciation: /-ˈteɪʃ(ə)n/
noun

Origin:

mid 16th century: from French compartiment, from Italian compartimento, from compartire, from late Latin compartiri 'divide'