different between partition vs allotment

English

Etymology

Recorded c.1430, "division into shares, distinction," borrowed from Old French particion (modern partition), from Latin partitio, partitionem (“division, portion”), from partitus, the past participle of partire (“to split (up), part(ition)”).

Pronunciation

• (US) enPR: pärt?'sh?n, IPA^(key): /p???t???n/
• Rhymes: -???n

Noun

partition (countable and uncountable, plural partitions)

1. An action which divides a thing into parts, or separates one thing from another.
2. A part of something that has been divided.
3. (mathematics) An approach to division in which one asks what the size of each part is, rather than (as in quotition) how many parts there are.
4. The division of a territory into two or more autonomous ones.

5. A vertical structure that divides a room.

   a brick partition; lath and plaster partitions

6. That which divides or separates; that by which different things, or distinct parts of the same thing, are separated; boundary; dividing line or space.

   • No sight could pass / Betwixt the nice partitions of the grass.

7. A part divided off by walls; an apartment; a compartment.
8. (law) The severance of common or undivided interests, particularly in real estate. It may be effected by consent of parties, or by compulsion of law.
9. (computing) A section of a hard disk separately formatted.
10. (databases) A division of a database or one of its constituting elements such as tables into separate independent parts.
11. (set theory) A collection of non-empty, disjoint subsets of a set whose union is the set itself (i.e. all elements of the set are contained in exactly one of the subsets).
12. (music) A musical score.

Usage notes

• (set theory): The elements of the collection are sometimes called the blocks or parts of the partition.

Synonyms

• dismemberment

Derived terms

• equipartition

Related terms

• partite

Translations

Verb

partition (third-person singular simple present partitions, present participle partitioning, simple past and past participle partitioned)(transitive)

1. To divide something into parts, sections or shares
2. To divide a region or country into two or more territories with separate political status
3. To separate or divide a room by a partition (ex. a wall), often use with off

Synonyms

• dismember

Derived terms

• partitioner
• partitionist

Related terms

• partner

Translations

French

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin part?ti?, part?ti?nem. Synchronically analysable as partir +? -tion.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /pa?.ti.sj??/

Noun

partition f (plural partitions)

1. (heraldry) a (geometrical) division using two colors
2. (music) a score, often comprising all parts
3. (databases, computing) partition

Derived terms

• partitionner
• partitionnement
• partitionniste

Further reading

• “partition” in Trésor de la langue française informatisé (The Digitized Treasury of the French Language).

English

Etymology

From Old French alotement (modern French allotement).

Pronunciation

• (US) IPA^(key): /??l?t.m?nt/

Noun

allotment (countable and uncountable, plural allotments)

1. The act of allotting.
   • 2007, Ruth Chambers, Kay Mohanna, David Wall, How to Succeed as a Leader

     You will achieve more in designated sessions of quiet uninterrupted periods than in a longer allotment of time broken up by various activities.

   • 1873, Henry Sumner Maine, The early history of the property of married women

     The allotment of particular names to special ideas which gradually disengage themselves from a general idea is apparently determined by accident.

2. Something allotted; a share, part, or portion granted or distributed
   • 1906, Thomas William Shore, Origin of the Anglo-Saxon Race Chapter 9

     Similar customs prevailed in a part of Friesland, the most notable of which was the ‘Jus Theelacticum,’ or custom of the Theel lands, doles, or allottable lands in East Friesland, not far from the mouth of the Ems. There an inherited allotment was indivisible; on the death of the father it passed intact to the youngest son, and on his death without issue it fell into the possession of the whole community

3. (law) The allowance of a specific amount of money or other credit of a particular thing to a particular person.
   • 2013, Maxine Holsinger, The Life of Maxine Holsinger

     Maynard used to help before he got sick, but there was no income except what I brought in my allotment.

4. (Britain) A plot of land rented from the council for growing fruit and vegetables.
   • 2015, Cathy Bramley, Ivy Lane

     The fallout of this unexpected turn of events was that it was Saturday morning, the first day of the Easter holidays, before the thought of my allotment even entered my head. Goodness only knew how big my carrots were going to be by the time I got round there!

Translations