Meaning & use
department store section
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Meanings
nouncountable
One of the separate areas inside a large store that sells a particular type of goods.
Grammar: Countable; often used with 'the' when the section is already known: 'the cosmetics section.'
Patterns
- the … section of a department store
- in the … section
She works in the children's clothing section of a department store.
The perfume section is on the ground floor, next to the handbags.
We spent an hour in the electronics section looking at headphones.
nouncountable
A part of a store's website or catalog that groups similar products together.
Grammar: Same countable use; common in online shopping contexts.
Patterns
- the … section of the website
You'll find bedding in the home section of the online store.
Click the sale section to see discounted items.
Word forms
| plural | department store sections |
|---|
Common combinations
- the shoe section
- The shoe section is having a sale this weekend.
- the cosmetics section
- She headed straight for the cosmetics section.
- the home section
- They browsed the home section for new curtains.
- the toy section
- The toy section was crowded with parents and children.
Synonyms and how they differ
- department
- Shorter and more common; 'department' alone often means the same thing in a store context.
- area
- More general; can refer to any part of a store, not just a product-based division.
Word family
- department store noun
- A large shop that sells many different kinds of goods in separate sections.
Commonly confused: department store section or section?
department store section vs section
On its own, 'section' can mean any part of something; 'department store section' specifically refers to a part of a large store.
Practice
Where would you go to buy a new lipstick in a department store?
Choose one answer.
Lipstick is a cosmetic product, so the cosmetics section is correct. The shoe section sells footwear, the electronics section sells devices, and the furniture section sells tables and chairs.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “department store section”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.