Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary
department (noun)1.
a) a distinct sphere - province that's not my department
b) a category consisting especially of a measurable activity or attribute - lacking in the trustworthiness department Garrison Keillor
2.
a functional or territorial division as
a) a major administrative division of a government
b) a major territorial administrative subdivision
c) a division of a college or school giving instruction in a particular subject
d) a major division of a business
e) a section of a department store handling a particular kind of merchandise
f) a territorial subdivision made for the administration and training of military units
Merriam-Webster Online Thesaurus
department (noun)1.
a large unit of a governmental, business, or educational organization
SYNONIMS:
agency, arm, branch, bureau, department, desk, office, serviceRELATED WORDS:
subdepartment, subdivision2.
a region of activity, knowledge, or influence
SYNONIMS:
area, arena, bailiwick, barony, business, circle, demesne, department, discipline, domain, element, fief, fiefdom, firmament, front, game, kingdom, line, precinct, province, realm, specialty, sphere, terrain, walkRELATED WORDS:
frontier; study, subject; territory, turf; occupation, profession, pursuit, racket, vocation; ambit, amplitude, breadth, compass, confine, dimension(s), extent, ken, reach, scope, sweep, width; subfield, subspecialty