sector

[ sek-ter ]
See synonyms for sector on Thesaurus.com
noun
  1. Geometry. a plane figure bounded by two radii and the included arc of a circle.

  2. a distinct part, especially of society or of a nation's economy: the housing sector; the educational sector.

  1. a section or zone, as of a city.

  2. Military. a designated defense area, usually in a combat zone, within which a particular military unit operates and for which it is responsible.

  3. a mathematical instrument consisting of two flat rulers hinged together at one end and bearing various scales.

  4. Machinery. a device used in connection with an index plate, consisting of two arms rotating about the center of the plate and set to indicate the angle through which the work is indexed.

  5. Astronomy. an instrument shaped like a sector of a circle, having a variable central angle and sights along the two straight sides, for measuring the angular distance between two celestial bodies.

  6. Computers. a portion of a larger block of storage, as 1/128 of a track or disk.

verb (used with object)
  1. to divide into sectors.

Origin of sector

1
First recorded in 1560–70; from Late Latin, from Latin: “cutter,” from sec(āre) “to cut, divide” + -tor -tor

Other words from sector

  • sec·tor·al, adjective
  • subsector, noun

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use sector in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for sector

sector

/ (ˈsɛktə) /


noun
  1. a part or subdivision, esp of a society or an economy: the private sector

  2. geometry either portion of a circle included between two radii and an arc. Area: 1/2 r ²θ, where r is the radius and θ is the central angle subtended by the arc (in radians)

  1. a measuring instrument consisting of two graduated arms hinged at one end

  2. a part or subdivision of an area of military operations

  3. computing the smallest addressable portion of the track on a magnetic tape, disk, or drum store

Origin of sector

1
C16: from Late Latin: sector, from Latin: a cutter, from secāre to cut

Derived forms of sector

  • sectoral, 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 sector

sector

[ sĕktər ]


  1. The part of a circle bounded by two radii and the arc between them.

The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.