compartment

1 of 2

noun

com·​part·​ment kəm-ˈpärt-mənt 

1

: a separate division or section

2

: one of the parts into which an enclosed space is divided

compartmental

kəm-ˌpärt-ˈmen-tᵊl 

ˌkäm-

adjective

compartment

2 of 2

verb

com·​part·​ment kəm-ˈpärt-ˌment  -mənt 

compartmented; compartmenting; compartments

transitive verb

: compartmentalize

Synonyms of compartment

Noun

• chamber
• cell
• cabin

Verb

• rank
• classify
• group
• place
• type
• relegate
• separate
• distinguish
• class
• grade
• sort
• compartmentalize

Examples of compartment in a Sentence

Noun

The suitcase has a zippered compartment for personal items.

The refrigerator has a separate compartment for meats.

Verb

compartment the responses according to country of origin

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Organized into two compartments, the nylon fanny pack is durable, easy to clean, and can easily store your phone, over-ear headphones, wallet, passport, hand sanitizer, and more. —Caroline Hughes, Travel + Leisure, 3 May 2026

The spooky environs created by production designer Til Frohlich are the stuff nightmares are made of; the murky bathtub, moldering linens and secret compartments that go bump in the night. —Katie Walsh, Twin Cities, 2 May 2026

Glover says the flight attendant came back and checked the overhead luggage compartment for a liquid, but found nothing. —Colson Thayer, PEOPLE, 2 May 2026

In The 3-compartment Sink, Or The Facility Must Establish An Approved Alternative Cleaning And Sanitizing Procedure For Equipment Of This Type. —Lillie Davidson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 2 May 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle French compartiment, from Italian compartimento, from compartire to mark out in parts, from Late Latin compartiri to share out, from Latin com- + partiri to share, from part-, pars part, share

First Known Use

Noun

1564, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1918, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing compartment

• glove compartment

Rhymes for compartment

• apartment
• departement
• department

Kids Definition

compartment

noun

com·​part·​ment

kəm-ˈpärt-mənt

1

: a separate division or section

2

: one of the parts into which an enclosed space is divided