bisect

verb

bi·​sect ˈbī-ˌsekt How to pronounce bisect (audio)
bī-ˈsekt
bisected; bisecting; bisects

transitive verb

: to divide into two usually equal parts
bisection
ˈbī-ˌsek-shən How to pronounce bisect (audio)
bī-ˈsek-
noun
bisectional
ˈbī-ˌsek-shnəl How to pronounce bisect (audio)
-shə-nᵊl
adjective
bisectionally adverb

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 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 The last time the agency was able to deliver food north of Wadi Gaza – a strip of wetlands that bisects the enclave – was on January 23. Katie Polglase, CNN, 21 Feb. 2024 The site would bisect parts of Oak, McGee and East 16th Streets. Natalie Wallington, Kansas City Star, 14 Feb. 2024 Add a line, bisect an angle, draw a circle — this is how mathematicians, student or elite, tinker and try to gain purchase on a problem. Siobhan Roberts, New York Times, 17 Jan. 2024 The Arsht’s location — bisected by busy Biscayne Boulevard and so near the traffic roar of Interstate 395 (with planes from Miami International Airport passing overhead) — doesn’t enhance the auditory part of the experience. Christine Dolen, Miami Herald, 30 Jan. 2024 Seventeen also posted a video of the performance from the Macao show, in which the band’s members sit atop a large rectangular video display as the enormous screen behind them displays a pastel moon and clouds bisected by shooting stars. Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 24 Jan. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'bisect.' 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

bi- entry 1 + intersect

First Known Use

circa 1645, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of bisect was circa 1645

Dictionary Entries Near bisect

Cite this Entry

“Bisect.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bisect. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

bisect

verb
bi·​sect ˈbī-ˌsekt How to pronounce bisect (audio)
bī-ˈsekt
1
: to divide into two usually equal parts
2

More from Merriam-Webster on bisect

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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