compartmentation

Meanings

1. Division into compartments; compartmentalization.
2. So as to prevent the spread of fire within a structure.
3. So as to prevent the spread of water (or rarely, another fluid) between otherwise watertight compartments (especially on a ship).
4. 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; compartmentalization.

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *ḱe Proto-Indo-European *ḱóm Proto-Italic *kom Proto-Italic *kom- Latin com- Proto-Indo-European *perh₃-der.? Proto-Italic *partis Latin pars Latin partiō Latin partior Latin compartīrībor. Italian compartire Proto-Indo-European *-mn̥ Proto-Indo-European *-mn̥tom Proto-Italic *-məntom Latin -mentum Italian -mento Italian compartimentobor. Middle French compartimentder. English compartment Proto-Indo-European *-tis Proto-Indo-European *-Hō Proto-Indo-European *-tiHō Proto-Italic *-tiō Latin -tiō Latin -ātiōlbor. Old French -ationbor. Middle English -acioun English -ation English compartmentation From compartment + -ation.