compartmentalization

English

Alternative forms

• compartmentalisation

Etymology

From compartmentalize +‎ -ation.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ˈkɒm.pɑː(ɹ)t.mɛntl̩.aɪˌzeɪ.ʃən/

• Audio (US):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -eɪʃən

Noun

compartmentalization (countable and uncountable, plural compartmentalizations)

1. The act or process of dividing a complex task or structure into smaller, often more manageable pieces.
   • 2018, James Lambert, “A multitude of ‘lishes’: The nomenclature of hybridity”, in English World-Wide‎^[1], page 9:

     In reality, the multidimensionality of language contact in multilingual environments ensures no such neat compartmentalisation.

2. (software) The act of dividing complex code into libraries with common functionality to help make the process of programming more manageable and reusable.
3. (counter-espionage) The act of dividing tasks involving confidential information so that no one person is capable of leaking enough to be incriminating. Alternatively, it can involve distributing information in such a way that no individual knows the full extent or purpose of the task they have been given, hence, if they are captured or monitored, the enemy would not be able to obtain useful information from any given person.

Antonyms

• decompartmentalization

Derived terms

• microcompartmentalization
• miscompartmentalization
• overcompartmentalization
• recompartmentalization
• subcompartmentalization

 

Translations

dividing tasks into smaller pieces

• German: Unterteilung (de) f, Untergliederung f