Main Entry: ¹vec·tor

Pronunciation: \ˈvek-tər\

Function: noun

1 : a quantity that has magnitude and direction and that is usually represented by part of a straight line with the given direction and with a length representing the magnitude
2 : an organism (as an insect) that transmits a pathogen from one organism or source to another <fleas are vectors of plague>—compare carrier 1a
3 : an agent (as a plasmid or virus) that contains or carries modified genetic material (as recombinant DNA) and can be used to introduce exogenous genes into the genome of an organism

—vec·to·ri·al \vek-ˈtōr-ē-əl, -ˈtȯr-\ adjective