compartmentalization

See also: compartmentation

English

Alternative forms

Etymology

From compartmentalize +‎ -ation.

Pronunciation

  • (UK) IPA(key): /(ˌ)kɒm.pɑː(ɹ)tˌmɛn.təl.aɪˈzeɪ.ʃən/
  • (US) IPA(key): /(ˌ)kɑm.pɑɹtˌmɛn.təl.əˈzeɪ.ʃən/
    • Audio (US):(file)
  • Rhymes: -eɪʃən

Noun

compartmentalization (countable and uncountable, plural compartmentalizations)

  1. Division into compartments or parts.
  2. (by extension) 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.
  3. (psychology) A defense mechanism in which thoughts and feelings that seem to conflict are kept separated or isolated from each other in the mind.
    • 2025 December 20, Janan Ganesh, “The case for denial”, in FT Weekend, Life & Arts, page 20:
      Apart from language, the most sophisticated thing that almost all human beings do every day is compartmentalisation: the selective blocking-out of bad events, whether current or historic, whether personal or global.
  4. (software) The act of dividing complex code into libraries with common functionality to help make the process of programming more manageable and reusable.
  5. (military) The dissemination of information and knowledge between different people or organisations on a need-to-know basis, so as to reduce the risk of espionage should one person or organisation be compromised externally.
  6. (by extension, computer security) A similar approach for computer security.

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