—n.
1 a space within a larger space, separated from the rest by partitions, e.g. in a railway carriage, wallet, desk, etc.
2 Naut. a watertight division of a ship.
3 an area of activity etc. kept apart from others in a person's mind.
—v.tr. put into compartments.
Derivatives:
compartmentation n.
Etymology: F compartiment f. It. compartimento f. LL compartiri (as COM-, partiri share)
Useful english dictionary. 2012.