compartment
Americannoun
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a part or space marked or partitioned off.
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a separate room, section, etc..
a baggage compartment.
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U.S. Railroads. a private bedroom with toilet facilities.
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a separate aspect, function, or the like.
the compartments of the human mind.
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Architecture. a distinct major division of a design.
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Heraldry. a decorative base, as a grassy mound, on which the supporters of an escutcheon stand or rest.
verb (used with object)
noun
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one of the sections into which an area, esp an enclosed space, is divided or partitioned
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any separate part or section
a compartment of the mind
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a small storage space; locker
Other Word Forms
- compartmental adjective
- compartmentally adverb
Etymology
Origin of compartment
1555–65; < Middle French compartiment < Italian compartimento. See compart, -ment
Explanation
A compartment is a space within another space, like the glove compartment in a car. Compartments are spaces, but they're not spaces that stand on their own. Rather, compartments are part of other spaces: they're subdivisions. The trunk is a compartment of a car. A pocket is a compartment of a suitcase. Closets are like compartments of rooms. One of the most common compartments is a car's glove compartment, where people throw all kinds of things. Anything that is divided into smaller spaces has compartments. The ventricles are like compartments of your heart.
Vocabulary lists containing compartment
"Modern Automotive Technology," Vocabulary from Section 6
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A Farewell To Arms
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Florida's B.E.S.T. Common Suffixes: -ment
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
After Spivey’s truck arrived at the police impound lot, Jones pointed out a compartment concealed in the back seat and asked Tamasi to open it.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 5, 2026
Every cell of the deadly malaria-causing parasite Plasmodium falciparum contains a tiny compartment packed with microscopic iron crystals.
From Science Daily • Mar. 19, 2026
I stood as far back as I could in the snug compartment and grimaced my way through it.
From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 9, 2025
During flight, astronauts will be in a crew compartment near the top.
From Slate • Dec. 9, 2025
And then Kelton checks in the center compartment between the front seats.
From "Dry" by Neal Shusterman and Jarrod Shusterman
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
