departure
noun
Departure — the moment of leaving, and everything it sets in motion
Definition
The act of departing
In depth
Departure is the act of leaving a place, a moment that marks the boundary between presence and absence, between what was and what comes next. The word carries inherent emotional weight, often signaling not just physical movement but a more significant turning point, an ending that makes room for whatever follows.
Origin
The word descends from Old French departir, to divide or separate, ultimately from Latin dis- (apart) and partire (to divide). That root sense of division remains central to the word's meaning: every departure, at its core, divides what was together, separating a person from a place, a moment, or a former version of themselves.
Usage examples
"Her departure from the company, after twenty years, left a gap no one quite knew how to fill."
"The train's departure was delayed for nearly an hour, though no announcement ever explained why."
"His sudden departure from tradition surprised even his closest colleagues."
How to use it
Departure is versatile across literal travel writing and figurative description of change, innovation, or ending. It carries a slightly more formal, weighty tone than 'leaving,' useful when a writer wants to signal real significance rather than mere physical movement.
Related concepts
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