partition

1 of 2

noun

par·​ti·​tion pär-ˈti-shən 

pər-

1

: the action of parting : the state of being parted : division

the partition of Korea into North and South Korea

2

: something that divides

especially : an interior dividing wall

The bank teller sat behind a glass partition.

3

: one of the parts or sections of a whole

The estate was divided into three partitions.

partition

2 of 2

verb

partitioned; partitioning; partitions

transitive verb

1

a

: to divide into parts or shares

b

: to divide (a place, such as a country) into two or more territorial units having separate political status

2

: to separate or divide by a partition (such as a wall)

—often used with off

partitioner

pär-ˈti-sh(ə-)nər 

noun

Synonyms of partition

Noun

• portion
• part
• section
• segment

Examples of partition in a Sentence

Noun

A thin partition separates the two rooms in the cabin.

Folding partitions separate the different banquet halls in the building.

The bank teller sat behind a glass partition.

the partition of former Yugoslavia

the partition of Korea into North and South Korea

Verb

It was necessary to partition the work to be done to make the job easier to accomplish.

The room is partitioned into four sections.

After the war, the country was partitioned.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Even Doom‘s famous binary-space partition trees can be broken down into SQL using a sort_key for objects that’s pre-computed for each position at load time. — Kyle Orland, ArsTechnica, 2 Oct. 2026

Upon decampment, the drowsy drinker is met with one final chance to imbibe, at the outside window, its sliding partition reminiscent of a Mister Softee’s. — Sheldon Pearce, New Yorker, 25 Sep. 2026

Verb

Meta and OpenAI use virtual machines, which partition a server into several lighter virtual computers, so one server can support scores of users. — Kif Leswing,katie Tarasov, CNBC, 6 Oct. 2026

What about drawing a gigantic grid and just partitioning the area into squares? — Daniel Immerwahr, New Yorker, 28 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1653, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing partition

• partition off

Rhymes for partition

• addition
• admission
• ambition
• attrition
• audition
• clinician
• cognition
• coition
• commission
• condition
• contrition
• dentition

Kids Definition

partition

noun

par·​ti·​tion

pər-ˈtish-ən, 

pär-

1

: division sense 1a, separation

2

: an interior dividing wall

3

: part entry 1 sense 1a, section

partition verb

partitioner

-ˈtish-(ə-)nər

noun

Medical Definition

partition

noun

par·​ti·​tion pär-ˈtish-ən 

: the distribution of a substance between two immiscible phases in contact at equilibrium and especially between two liquids

partition transitive verb

Legal Definition

partition

noun

par·​ti·​tion pär-ˈti-shən 

: the severance voluntarily or by legal proceedings of common or undivided interests in property and especially real property : division into severalty of property held jointly or in common or the sale of such property by a court with division of the proceeds

partition transitive verb