Meaning of division of labour in English

division of labour

noun [ U ]

UK (US division of labor)

/dɪˌvɪʒ.ən əv ˈleɪ.bər/ us

/dɪˌvɪʒ.ən əv ˈleɪ.bɚ/

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a way of organizing work, especially making things, so that particular types of work are done by particular people:

Society is challenging the traditional sexual division of labour.

SMART Vocabulary: related words and phrases

Types of employment

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(Definition of division of labour from the Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary & Thesaurus © Cambridge University Press)

division of labour | Business English

division of labour

noun [ U or S ]

ECONOMICS, MANAGEMENT UK ( US division of labor)

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a way of organizing work, especially making things, so that it is done as a set of separate processes by different people or groups:

By encouraging cooperation between departments, the company is challenging the traditional division of labour within the organization.

a global division of labour between developed and developing countries

(Definition of division of labour from the Cambridge Business English Dictionary © Cambridge University Press)

Examples of division of labour

division of labour

The combined effect was increasing specialization and division of labour, in particular, a gradual separation of weaving from wool production and wool trade.

From the Cambridge English Corpus

They can also be based on a differing position in the structures of the division of labour, for example public sector versus private sector employment.

From the Cambridge English Corpus

The old welfare was built around national standards, uniform provision, codification, the reconciliation of market and welfare and a gendered division of labour.

From the Cambridge English Corpus

A certain degree of division of labour took place in the production of cigarettes, but not in the production of cigars and limpiones.

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These were countries that functioned as plantation economies within the international division of labour, supplying tropical agricultural products to industrialised metropolitan countries.

From the Cambridge English Corpus

Central to this idea was the perception of a non-rational or redundant division of labour between industry and artisans.

From the Cambridge English Corpus

In part, this reflects a natural division of labour whereby older and married men stayed out of the firing line.

From the Cambridge English Corpus

Thirdly, the opinion leader theory states that there is a necessary division of labour about knowledge and that people take advice from their knowledgeable associates.

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While employers and male workers make a clear distinction between men's work and women's work, the division of labour is not rigid at all.

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In a kind of division of labour, certain factions are 'responsible' for particular policy fields.

From the Cambridge English Corpus

This evidence can be used to address general explanations about the gender division of labour.

From the Cambridge English Corpus

Economic difference and the social division of labour, though important sources of explanation in understanding many aspects of ' third ageism ', are insufficient.

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Under the work imperative, the musical division of labour became rigidified.

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There emerged places noted for their special products, and clear interregional division of labour developed.

From the Cambridge English Corpus

This contrasts with the weight of previous research regarding the impact of retirement on the division of labour in the home.

From the Cambridge English Corpus

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