sextant

noun

sex·​tant ˈsek-stənt 

: an instrument for measuring angular distances used especially in navigation to observe altitudes of celestial bodies (as in ascertaining latitude and longitude)

Illustration of sextant

Examples of sextant in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

At sea, celestial navigation, which came into its own in the late 1700s, requires algorithms to crunch the inputs from a sextant that allows mariners to determine their position on the surface of a sphere. —Scott Neuman, NPR, 11 June 2026

Even the Portuguese flag features an old nautical instrument at its centre, which led to the stage being designed as a stylized sextant. —Christine Mortag, Condé Nast Traveler, 13 May 2026

Why not just rely on GPS like every yachtsman who slept through piloting class and can't remember how to work a sextant? —New Atlas, 2 Dec. 2025

For decades, economics worked like a sextant for navigating the murky waters of world commerce, whose mysteries could be charted if only one had the right models. —Jamie Merchant, Washington Post, 7 Nov. 2025

Word History

Etymology

New Latin sextant-, sextans sixth part of a circle, from Latin, sixth part, from sextus sixth

First Known Use

1628, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for sextant

• extant

Kids Definition

sextant

noun

sex·​tant ˈsek-stənt 

: a navigational instrument for measuring the angle between the horizon and the sun or a star in order to find out the latitude (as of a ship)