segment

[ noun seg-muhnt; verb seg-ment, seg-ment ]

noun

1. one of the parts into which something naturally separates or is divided; a division, portion, or section:

   a segment of an orange.

2. Geometry.
   1. a part cut off from a figure, especially a circular or spherical one, by a line or plane, as a part of a circular area contained by an arc and its chord or by two parallel lines or planes.
   2. Also called line segment. a finite section of a line.
3. Zoology.
   1. any of the rings that compose the body of an annelid or arthropod.
   2. any of the discrete parts of the body of an animal, especially of an arthropod.
4. an object, as a machine part, having the form of a segment or sector of a circle.
5. Computers.
   1. a portion of a program, often one that can be loaded and executed independently of other portions.
   2. a unit of data in a database.
6. an arclike support on which the typebars of a typewriter rest when not in use.

verb (used with or without object)

1. to separate or divide into segments.

segment

/ ˈsɛɡməntərɪ; -trɪ /

noun

1. maths
   1. a part of a line or curve between two points
   2. a part of a plane or solid figure cut off by an intersecting line, plane, or planes, esp one between a chord and an arc of a circle
2. one of several parts or sections into which an object is divided; portion
3. zoology any of the parts into which the body or appendages of an annelid or arthropod are divided
4. linguistics a speech sound considered in isolation

verb

1. to cut or divide (a whole object) into segments

segment

/ sĕg′mənt /

1. The portion of a line between any two of its points.
2. The region bounded by an arc of a circle and the chord that connects the endpoints of the arc.
3. The portion of a sphere included between a pair of parallel planes that intersect it or are tangent to it.

Derived Forms

• segmentary, adjective

Other Words From

• seg·men·tar·y [seg, -m, uh, n-ter-ee], adjective
• segmen·tate adjective
• inter·segment noun adjective
• multi·segment adjective
• multi·segment·ed adjective
• non·segmen·tary adjective
• non·segment·ed adjective
• un·segmen·tary adjective
• un·segment·ed adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of segment¹

First recorded in 1560–70; from Latin segmentum, equivalent to sec(āre) “to cut” + -mentum -ment

Word History and Origins

Origin of segment¹

C16: from Latin segmentum, from secāre to cut

Synonym Study

See part.

Example Sentences

The right part is all about capturing your business value with an in-depth look at customer segments and relationships, value proposition, channels and revenue streams.

From Search Engine Land

Streaming services often show different ads to different viewers because the ads can be targeted to specific audience segments, especially when sold programmatically.

From Digiday

The Times has priced its contextual targeting tools on a par with its audience-based products, with the exception of some in-demand narrow segments like C-suite execs, so marketers can target campaigns based on how suited to the objective it is.

From Digiday

Simultaneously, this is also the segment of the population with the lowest voter turnout.

From Fortune

I did a little segment at the end of the show called “Final Thoughts,” which I do to this day.

From Ozy

But taking such action puts them at odds with the most powerful and best-organized segment of their coalition.

From The Daily Beast

Earlier in the segment, host Chuck Todd had asked him if he understood and acknowledged that black people have a fear of police.

From The Daily Beast

The rapper will.i.am was one such panelist, forced upon Gregory for an excruciatingly awkward roundtable segment.

From The Daily Beast

And then there was the segment of the media that actively cheered it all on.

From The Daily Beast

And besides, the studies that do enjoy widespread media circulation focus on a very narrow segment of the LGBT community: gay men.

From The Daily Beast

The exhaust-valve is exactly as when it was put in, worked by a rack-and-tooth segment.

From Project Gutenberg

The book-lungs openings are found on the ventral surface of the first abdominal segment, as is also the epigynum.

From Project Gutenberg

Each segment of the abdomen has a group of tubercles on a side above the spiracles.

From Project Gutenberg

Then the line became the segment of a circle bending in shore.

From Project Gutenberg

“There is but a segment,” she said, sitting back upon the hassock again.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• division
• piece
• portion
• section
• sector
• slice