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sector

Syllabification: (sec·tor)
Pronunciation: /ˈsektər/

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Definition of sector

noun

  • 1an area or portion that is distinct from others.
  • a distinct part or branch of a nation’s economy or society or of a sphere of activity such as education:the industrial and commercial sector the business sector of the city
  • Military a subdivision of an area for military operations.
  • Computing a subdivision of a track on a magnetic disk.
  • 2the plane figure enclosed by two radii of a circle or ellipse and the arc between them.
  • 3a mathematical instrument consisting of two arms hinged at one end and marked with sines, tangents, etc., for making diagrams.

Derivatives

sectoral

Pronunciation: /-rəl/

adjective

Origin:

late 16th century (in sector (sense 2) and sector (sense 3)): from late Latin, a technical use of Latin sector 'cutter', from sect- 'cut off', from the verb secare

sector in other Oxford dictionaries

Definition of sector in the British & World English dictionary