compartmentalize

[ kuh m-pahrt-men-tl-ahyz, kom-pahrt- ]
/ kəm pɑrtˈmɛn tlˌaɪz, ˌkɒm pɑrt- /

verb (used with object), com·part·men·tal·ized, com·part·men·tal·iz·ing.

to divide into categories or compartments.
Also especially British, com·part·men·tal·ise.

Origin of compartmentalize

First recorded in 1920–25; compartmental + -ize

OTHER WORDS FROM compartmentalize

com·part·men·tal·i·za·tion, noun de·com·part·men·tal·i·za·tion, noun de·com·part·men·tal·ize, verb (used with object), de·com·part·men·tal·ized, de·com·part·men·tal·iz·ing.

British Dictionary definitions for compartmentalization

compartmentalize

compartmentalise

/ (ˌkɒmpɑːtˈmɛntəˌlaɪz) /

verb

(usually tr) to put or divide into (compartments, categories, etc), esp to an excessive degree

Derived forms of compartmentalize

compartmentalization or compartmentalisation, noun