Department vs. Agency — What's the Difference?

A division of a large organization such as a government, university, or business, dealing with a specific area of activity

The condition of being in action; operation.

A principal administrative division of a government

The means or mode of acting; instrumentality.

A division of a business specializing in a particular product or service

A business with agents that negotiate deals for clients

A division of a school or college dealing with a particular field of knowledge

An advertising or public relations firm.

Department One of the principal executive divisions of the federal government of the United States, headed by a cabinet officer.

An administrative division of a government or international body.

A section of a department store selling a particular line of merchandise

The capacity, condition, or state of acting or of exerting power.

An administrative district in France.

The capacity of individuals to act independently and to make their own free choices.

A unit of a warship's crew, organized by function, such as gunnery or engineering.

A medium through which power is exerted or an end is achieved.

An area of particular knowledge or responsibility; a specialty

The office or function of an agent; also, the relationship between a principal and that person's agent.

A part, portion, or subdivision.

An establishment engaged in doing business for another; also, the place of business or the district of such an agency.

A distinct course of life, action, study, or the like.

A department or other administrative unit of a government; also, the office or headquarters of, or the district administered by such unit of government.

A specified aspect or quality.

The faculty of acting or of exerting power; the state of being in action; action; instrumentality.

A subdivision of an organization.

The office of an agent, or factor; the relation between a principal and his agent; business of one intrusted with the concerns of another.

One of the principal divisions of executive government

The place of business of am agent.

One of the divisions of instructions

An administrative unit of government;

A territorial division; a district; especially, in France, one of the districts into which the country is divided for governmental purposes, similar to a county in the UK and in the USA. France is composed of 101 départements organized in 18 régions, each department is divided into arrondissements, in turn divided into cantons.

A business that serves other businesses

(historical) A military subdivision of a country

The state of being in action or exerting power;

(obsolete) Act of departing; departure.

The state of serving as an official and authorized delegate or agent

Act of departing; departure.

How a result is obtained or an end is achieved;

A part, portion, or subdivision.

A distinct course of life, action, study, or the like; appointed sphere or walk; province.

Subdivision of business or official duty; especially, one of the principal divisions of executive government; as, the treasury department; the war department; also, in a university, one of the divisions of instruction; as, the medical department; the department of physics.

A territorial division; a district; esp., in France, one of the districts composed of several arrondissements into which the country is divided for governmental purposes; as, the Department of the Loire.

A military subdivision of a country; as, the Department of the Potomac.

A specialized division of a large organization;

The territorial and administrative division of some countries (such as France)

A specialized sphere of knowledge;