dipartimento

department

noun dee-par-tee-MEN-toh Rare

Origin: French département

Usage Note

Dipartimento refers to an academic or administrative department — a university faculty section (il dipartimento di fisica, the physics department) or a governmental division. In Italy's university system reform (post-1999) dipartimento replaced istituto as the basic research unit. Do not confuse with reparto (ward, unit) used in hospitals and shops.

Examples

"Il dipartimento di lingue organizza un corso gratuito."

Natural Translation

The languages department is organising a free course.

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