bisect

verb

bi·​sect ˈbī-ˌsekt 

bī-ˈsekt

bisected; bisecting; bisects

transitive verb

: to divide into two usually equal parts

intransitive verb

: cross, intersect

bisection

ˈbī-ˌsek-shən 

bī-ˈsek-

noun

bisectional

ˈbī-ˌsek-shnəl 

-shə-nᵊl

adjective

bisectionally adverb

Synonyms

• cross
• cut
• intersect

Examples of bisect in a Sentence

Draw a line that bisects the angle.

The city is bisected by the highway.

Recent Examples on the Web

An expert level of craftsmanship was required to build and install the sleekly curvilinear wooden cabinetry, and some imagination was required to conceive and construct a pair of overlapping circular islands that are bisected by a frameless wall of glass. —Mark David, Robb Report, 1 Apr. 2024

Terraces planted with bamboo and native forbs and grasses are bisected by wooden walkways that zigzag between ponds and constructed wetlands. —Richard Schiffman, New York Times, 28 Mar. 2024

As the Mississippi bisects the lower portions of Iowa, Illinois and Missouri, it's constrained by levees to protect high-production farmland nearby. —Journal Sentinel, 27 Feb. 2024

How to Get Around Cozumel is a small but well-maintained island with a ring road, as well as one that bisects the island. —Meagan Drillinger, Travel + Leisure, 1 Mar. 2024

Most striking is a predominantly yellow 1955 painting that’s bisected by a pinkish bar outlined with stripes in a slightly whiter version of the same color. —Mark Jenkins, Washington Post, 24 Jan. 2024

The district sits next to Hollywood Burbank Airport and is bisected by the Metrolink and Amtrak routes that run to Santa Clarita and Ventura County. —Laura J. Nelson, Los Angeles Times, 1 Feb. 2024

The Pelican River Forest is bisected by Highway 8 east of Rhinelander and straddles the Great Lakes and Mississippi River watersheds, with water draining in two different directions. —Laura Schulte, Journal Sentinel, 23 Jan. 2024

The proposal, known as Project Maple, would raise the natural gas-carrying capacity of the pipeline, which bisects Connecticut and extends into New York, New Jersey, Rhode Island and Massachusetts. —Alison Cross, Hartford Courant, 16 Jan. 2024

Word History

Etymology

bi- entry 1 + intersect

First Known Use

circa 1645, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Kids Definition

bisect

verb

bi·​sect ˈbī-ˌsekt 

bī-ˈsekt

1

: to divide into two usually equal parts

2

: intersect sense 1, cross