Odbor

Odbor is a term used in several Slavic languages, most commonly Czech and Slovak, to denote a division or unit within an organization. It can refer to a department, section, or bureau inside a government ministry, a company, a university, or another institution. In addition, odbor can be used to describe a committee or board within a larger body, such as a municipal council or a professional association. In some contexts, the word emphasizes the organizational or administrative aspect of dividing tasks or responsibilities.

In Czech and Slovak, the plural form odbory often refers to trade unions, while odbor in the singular generally denotes a specific department or division. The term is widely used in official and administrative language, for example a “department of education” might be described as the “odbor školstva” in a ministry or school administration. The word is also found in institutional names and job titles that indicate a particular area of responsibility, such as an “odbor ekonomiky” (economics department) or an “odbor personální” (human resources department).

In other South Slavic languages such as Serbian, Croatian, and Bosnian, odbor (or its equivalents) similarly means a board, committee, or section within an organization or government body. The concept centralizes the idea of organizing people and tasks into functional units.

Etymologically, odbor is of Slavic origin and is related to the notion of division or grouping within an organization. The exact usage and nuance can vary by country and institution, but the core meaning remains a defined administrative or organizational unit.