sector

1 of 2

noun

sec·​tor ˈsek-tər 

-ˌtȯr

1

a

: a geometric figure bounded by two radii and the included arc of a circle

b(1)

: a subdivision of a defensive military position

(2)

: a portion of a military front or area of operation

c

: an area or portion resembling a sector

bilingual sector of town

—David Kleinberg

d

: a sociological, economic, or political subdivision of society

cooperation between the public and private sectors

—Peter Chapman

2

: a mathematical instrument consisting of two rulers connected at one end by a joint and marked with several scales

3

: a subdivision of a track on a computer disk

sectoral

ˈsek-t(ə-)rəl

adjective

sector

2 of 2

verb

sec·​tor ˈsek-tər 

sectored; sectoring ˈsek-t(ə-)riŋ 

transitive verb

: to divide into or furnish with sectors

Examples of sector in a Sentence

Noun

He was assigned to the northern sector.

Data is stored on the disk in 512-byte sectors.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

The rapid advances of AI and the ceaseless scheming of cybercriminals and hackers make cyber startups one of the most dynamic and innovative sectors of the tech industry, Chahal says. —Alexei Oreskovic, Fortune, 30 Oct. 2025

This inherent familiarity could be a big reason why infused beverages have become one of the fastest-growing sectors of the cannabis industry; the global market is projected to crack $2 billion in annual revenue by 2026. —Chala June, Bon Appetit Magazine, 29 Oct. 2025

Verb

What to watch: KeyBanc downgraded Microsoft to sector weight from overweight earlier in April ahead of the report, highlighting a few risks such as flattening cloud demand and a tricky AI landscape. —Fred Imbert, CNBC, 27 Apr. 2025

These might include factors such as location, the industry or sector your business operates within, the number of employees, the type of business entity, and your business’s financial health. —Melissa Houston, Forbes, 29 Mar. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Late Latin, from Latin, cutter, from secare to cut — more at saw

First Known Use

Noun

1570, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

1884, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing sector

• private sector
• public sector
• sub-sector

Rhymes for sector

• hector
• lector
• nectar
• rector
• specter
• spectre
• vector
• bisector
• collector
• connector
• corrector
• defector

Kids Definition

sector

noun

sec·​tor

ˈsek-tər,

-ˌtȯ(ə)r

1

a

: the part of a circle included between two radii

b

: an area assigned to a military commander to defend

2

: a part of society

the public sector

the industrial sector