segment

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

See synonyms for: segment segmented segmenting segments on Thesaurus.com

noun

one of the parts into which something naturally separates or is divided; a division, portion, or section: a segment of an orange.
Geometry.
- 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.
- Also called line segment. a finite section of a line.

Zoology.
- any of the rings that compose the body of an annelid or arthropod.
- any of the discrete parts of the body of an animal, especially of an arthropod.
an object, as a machine part, having the form of a segment or sector of a circle.
Computers.
- a portion of a program, often one that can be loaded and executed independently of other portions.
- a unit of data in a database.
an arclike support on which the typebars of a typewriter rest when not in use.

verb (used with or without object)

to separate or divide into segments.

Origin of segment

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

synonym study For segment

1. See part.

Other words from segment

seg·men·tar·y [seg-muhn-ter-ee], /ˈsɛg mənˌtɛr i/, 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

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

British Dictionary definitions for segment

segment

noun(ˈsɛɡmənt)

maths
- a part of a line or curve between two points
- 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
one of several parts or sections into which an object is divided; portion

zoology any of the parts into which the body or appendages of an annelid or arthropod are divided
linguistics a speech sound considered in isolation

verb(sɛɡˈmɛnt)

to cut or divide (a whole object) into segments

Origin of segment

C16: from Latin segmentum, from secāre to cut

Derived forms of segment

segmentary (ˈsɛɡməntərɪ, -trɪ), adjective

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Scientific definitions for segment

segment

[ sĕg′mənt ]

The portion of a line between any two of its points.
The region bounded by an arc of a circle and the chord that connects the endpoints of the arc.

The portion of a sphere included between a pair of parallel planes that intersect it or are tangent to it.

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