division of labor

noun phrase

: the breakdown of labor into its components and their distribution among different persons, groups, or machines to increase productive efficiency

Examples of division of labor in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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This division of labor allows the colony to remain partially buried in the seafloor while still efficiently feeding from passing water currents. Samantha Agate, Charlotte Observer, 23 Apr. 2026 According to the University of California Museum of Paleontology, this division of labor allows the colony to remain partially buried in the seafloor while still efficiently feeding from passing water currents. Samantha Agate, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 23 Apr. 2026 As copilots and agents start to configure and run workflows, the old division of labor — vendors sell, systems integrators implement, consultancies advise — begins to blur. Michael Jacobides, Fortune, 17 Apr. 2026 But Jason Resendez, president and CEO of the National Alliance for Caregiving, said that men’s increasing willingness to engage in care creates an opening for productive conversations about the division of labor in households. Elissa Strauss, CNN Money, 18 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for division of labor

Word History

First Known Use

1776, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of division of labor was in 1776

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Cite this Entry

“Division of labor.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/division%20of%20labor. Accessed 2 May. 2026.

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