allotment

[ uh-lot-muhnt ]

noun

1. the act of allotting.
2. a portion or thing allotted; a share granted.

   Synonyms: ration, lot, measure

3. (in U.S. military use) the portion of pay that an officer or enlisted person authorizes to be paid directly to another person, as a dependent, or an institution, as an insurance company.
4. British. a plot of land rented to a gardener.

allotment

/ əˈlɒtmənt /

noun

1. the act of allotting; apportionment
2. a portion or amount allotted
3. a small piece of usually public land rented by an individual for cultivation

Other Word Forms

• misal·lotment noun
• nonal·lotment noun
• proal·lotment adjective
• real·lotment noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of allotment¹

First recorded in 1565–75; allot + -ment; compare French allotement

Example Sentences

Jim Lycett, who joined the British Army at 15, said gardening added "another theme" to his life and he was often at the Royal Hospital's allotments.

From BBC

The baby's decomposing body was found in a plastic bag in a shed on a Brighton allotment almost two months later.

From BBC

The trial and guilty verdicts will have brought back painful memories for Mr Kohli's friends, who laid flowers after his death at the allotment he loved to spend time at.

From BBC

But he did not play a heavy allotment of minutes until the second half of the season, possibly accelerating his departure.

From Los Angeles Times

The newborn - who they called Victoria - was found dead two days later in a shopping bag in an allotment in the Hollingbury area of Brighton.

From BBC

Related Words

• allocation
• allowance
• appropriation
• quota
• ration