Adjacent Words

Segment definitions

	Tweet

Webster's 1828 Dictionary

SEG'MENT, n. [L. segmentum, from seco, to cut off.]
1. In geometry, that part of the circle contained between a chord and an arch of that circle, or so much of the circle as is cut off by the chord.
2. In general, a part cut off or divided; as the segments of a calyx.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: one of several parts or pieces that fit with others to constitute a whole object; "a section of a fishing rod"; "metal sections were used below ground"; "finished the final segment of the road" [syn: section, segment]
2: one of the parts into which something naturally divides; "a segment of an orange" v
1: divide into segments; "segment an orange"; "segment a compound word" [syn: segment, section]
2: divide or split up; "The cells segmented"

Merriam Webster's

I. noun Etymology: Latin segmentum, from secare to cut — more at saw Date: 1570 1. a portion cut off from a geometric figure by one or more points, lines, or planes: as a. the area of a circle bounded by a chord and an arc of that circle b. the part of a sphere cut off by a plane or included between two parallel planes c. the finite part of a line between two points in the line 2. a. a separate piece of something ; bit, fragment <chop the stalks into short segments> b. one of the constituent parts into which a body, entity, or quantity is divided or marked off by or as if by natural boundaries <all segments of the population agree> Synonyms: see part • segmentary adjective II. transitive verb Date: 1859 to separate into segments ; give off as segments

Oxford Reference Dictionary

n. & v. --n. 1 each of several parts into which a thing is or can be divided or marked off. 2 Geom. a part of a figure cut off by a line or plane intersecting it, esp.: a the part of a circle enclosed between an arc and a chord. b the part of a line included between two points. c the part of a sphere cut off by any plane not passing through the centre. 3 the smallest distinct part of a spoken utterance. 4 Zool. each of the longitudinal sections of the body of certain animals (e.g. worms). --v. usu. 1 intr. & tr. divide into segments. 2 intr. Biol. (of a cell) undergo cleavage or divide into many cells. Derivatives: segmental adj. segmentalize v.tr. (also -ise). segmentalization n. segmentally adv. segmentary adj. segmentation n. Etymology: L segmentum f. secare cut

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Segment Seg"ment, n. [L. segmentum, fr. secare to cut, cut off: cf. F. segment. See Saw a cutting instrument.] 1. One of the parts into which any body naturally separates or is divided; a part divided or cut off; a section; a portion; as, a segment of an orange; a segment of a compound or divided leaf. 2. (Geom.) A part cut off from a figure by a line or plane; especially, that part of a circle contained between a chord and an arc of that circle, or so much of the circle as is cut off by the chord; as, the segment acb in the Illustration. 3. (Mach.) (a) A piece in the form of the sector of a circle, or part of a ring; as, the segment of a sectional fly wheel or flywheel rim. (b) A segment gear. 4. (Biol.) (a) One of the cells or division formed by segmentation, as in egg cleavage or in fissiparous cell formation. (b) One of the divisions, rings, or joints into which many animal bodies are divided; a somite; a metamere; a somatome. Segment gear, a piece for receiving or communicating reciprocating motion from or to a cogwheel, consisting of a sector of a circular gear, or ring, having cogs on the periphery, or face. Segment of a line, the part of a line contained between two points on it. Segment of a sphere, the part of a sphere cut off by a plane, or included between two parallel planes. Ventral segment. (Acoustics) See Loor, n., 5.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Segment Seg"ment, v. i. (Biol.) To divide or separate into parts in growth; to undergo segmentation, or cleavage, as in the segmentation of the ovum.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

Frequency: The word is one of the 3000 most common words in English. 1. A segment of something is one part of it, considered separately from the rest. ...the poorer segments of society. ...the third segment of his journey. = section N-COUNT: N of n 2. A segment of fruit such as an orange or grapefruit is one of the sections into which it is easily divided. N-COUNT 3. A segment of a circle is one of the two parts into which it is divided when you draw a straight line through it. N-COUNT: usu N of n 4. A segment of a market is one part of it, considered separately from the rest. Three-to-five day cruises are the fastest-growing segment of the market... Women's tennis is the market leader in a growing market segment–women's sports. N-COUNT 5. If a company segments a market, it divides it into separate parts, usually in order to improve marketing opportunities. (BUSINESS) The big six record companies are multinational, and thus can segment the world market into national ones. VERB: V n into n

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

n. Portion, section, part.

Moby Thesaurus

adjunct, affiliation, air line, allotment, allowance, analyze, anatomize, apportion, assay, axis, beeline, big end, bigger half, bit, bite, body, branch, break down, break up, budget, categorize, chord, chunk, church, cleave, commission, communion, community, component, contingent, cross section, cut, cut up, deal, denomination, destiny, detachment, detail, diagonal, diameter, direct line, directrix, dissect, district, divide, divide up, dividend, division, divvy, divvy up, dole, edge, element, end, equal share, faction, fate, fellowship, fraction, fragment, great-circle course, group, half, halver, helping, installment, interest, isolate, item, joint, length, lot, measure, meed, member, mess, modicum, moiety, normal, offshoot, order, organization, parcel, parcel out, part, particular, partition, party, percentage, perpendicular, persuasion, piece, portion, proportion, quadrant, quantum, quarter, quota, radius, radius vector, rake-off, random sample, ration, reduce, reduce to elements, religious order, remainder, resolve, right line, sample, sampling, schism, school, secant, seclude, sect, sectarism, section, sector, separate, set off, share, shortcut, side, slice, small share, society, split, split up, stake, stock, straight, straight course, straight line, straight stretch, straightaway, streamline, subdivide, subdivision, subgroup, subspecies, tangent, transversal, variety, vector, version, wedge, zone