dɪˈpɑːtm(ə)nt dəˈpɑɹtmənt dɪˈvɪʒən ɪnˈsɪʒən pɑːt pɑɹt pɐːt ˈsɛkʃən ˈsɛkʃən ˈsɛɡ.mənt ˈsɛɡ.mənt ˈsʌbdɪvɪʒən the cutting of or into body tissues or organs (especially by a surgeon as part of an operation) divide into segments segment an orange segment a compound word one of several parts or pieces that fit with others to constitute a whole object a section of a fishing rod metal sections were used below ground finished the final segment of the road one of the portions into which something is regarded as divided and which together constitute a whole the written part of the exam the finance section of the company the BBC's engineering division a self-contained part of a larger composition (written or musical) he always turns first to the business section the history of this work is discussed in the next section a segment of a citrus fruit he ate a section of the orange a specialized division of a large organization you'll find it in the hardware department she got a job in the historical section of the Treasury a small team of policemen working as part of a police platoon a small army unit usually having a special function a division of an orchestra containing all instruments of the same class a small class of students who are part of a larger course but are taught separately a graduate student taught sections for the professor's lecture course (geometry) the area created by a plane cutting through a solid a distinct region or subdivision of a territorial or political area or community or group of people no section of the nation is more ardent than the South there are three synagogues in the Jewish section a very thin slice (of tissue or mineral or other substance) for examination under a microscope sections from the left ventricle showed diseased tissue a land unit equal to 1 square mile