transect

1 of 2

verb

tran·​sect tran(t)-ˈsekt How to pronounce transect (audio)
transected; transecting; transects
transection noun

transect

2 of 2

noun

tran·​sect ˈtran(t)-ˌsekt How to pronounce transect (audio)
: a sample area (as of vegetation) usually in the form of a long continuous strip

Examples of transect in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
Prosecutor Steve Crump: Was David Leath in any way capable of any sort of voluntary movement after that bullet transected his brain? Erin Moriarty, CBS News, 14 July 2018 The Missouri River, swollen by the presence of the Garrison Dam, transects the reservation from the northwest corner to the southeast. David Treuer, New York Times, 25 Feb. 2020 Of significant interest to Alaskans should be the situation on the Canadian side of the border, which brings home the challenges of managing fisheries along a 2,000-mile river that transects two nations. Nancy Lord, Anchorage Daily News, 30 June 2018 Over the years the course of the river moved closer and closer, taking the trees, and eventually requiring the protective levee and river road to transect the front yard of the house. Lindsay Bierman, Southern Living, 20 Aug. 2012 The forest comprises more than 2 million acres, and at least a half-dozen miniature mountain ranges transect the plot, which is home to several unique species. Matthew Cappucci, Washington Post, 17 Aug. 2017 Over the years the course of the river moved closer and closer, taking the trees, and eventually requiring the protective levee and river road to transect the front yard of the house. Lindsay Bierman, Southern Living, 11 July 2017 A 100-foot right of way for a Milwaukee Road branch line transected it. Edward Lotterman, Twin Cities, 10 June 2017
Noun
Each pass, or transect, creates a series of traces that can be assembled into a radargram, a 2D snapshot that provides clues about the composition and density of what's belowground. Rowan Moore Gerety, WIRED, 13 July 2023 As the boat traveled along its transect lines, Saeki reached over the side to scoop seawater from the surface every two minutes for analysis. Kate Wong, Scientific American, 13 Mar. 2023 These are transect surveys, requiring the observer to walk in a straight line across an area of no less than five acres, while making observations along that path. Guest, Discover Magazine, 19 Apr. 2019 The blue transect is different, insofar as the change occurs very near its eastern pole. Razib Khan, Discover Magazine, 7 Mar. 2012 The goal is to record butterflies within 20 feet of either side of the transect. Guest, Discover Magazine, 19 Apr. 2019 His tally for the day: 15,000 flamingos in his transect alone. Vaishnavi Chandrashekhar, Smithsonian Magazine, 22 Dec. 2022 Over the course of three summer field seasons, the team collected 365 samples from the edges of about 110 different ice caps in a 1,000 kilometer transect along the highlands of Baffin Island. Tom Yulsman, Discover Magazine, 25 Oct. 2013 The transect where Hall snorkeled had extended to 1,100 meters. Kevin Spear, orlandosentinel.com, 20 Aug. 2021

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'transect.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Verb

trans- + intersect

First Known Use

Verb

1634, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1905, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of transect was in 1634

Dictionary Entries Near transect

Cite this Entry

“Transect.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/transect. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Medical Definition

transect

transitive verb
tran·​sect tran-ˈsekt How to pronounce transect (audio)
: to cut transversely
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!