segment

noun

seg·ment | \ˈseg-mənt

Definition of segment

(Entry 1 of 2)

1 : a portion cut off from a geometric figure by one or more points, lines, or planes: such as

a : the area of a circle bounded by a chord and an arc of that circle

b : the part of a sphere cut off by a plane or included between two parallel planes

c : the finite part of a line between two points in the line

2a : a separate piece of something : bit, fragment chop the stalks into short segments

b : one of the constituent parts into which a body, entity, or quantity is divided or marked off by or as if by natural boundaries all segments of the population agree

segment

verb

seg·ment | \ˈseg-ˌment

segmented; segmenting; segments

Definition of segment (Entry 2 of 2)

transitive verb

: to separate into segments : give off as segments

Other Words from segment Synonyms Choose the Right Synonym More Example Sentences Learn More about segment

Keep scrolling for more

Choose the Right Synonym for segment

Noun

part, portion, piece, member, division, section, segment, fragment mean something less than the whole. part is a general term appropriate when indefiniteness is required. they ran only part of the way portion implies an assigned or allotted part. cut the pie into six portions piece applies to a separate or detached part of a whole. a puzzle with 500 pieces member suggests one of the functional units composing a body. a structural member division applies to a large or diversified part. the manufacturing division of the company section applies to a relatively small or uniform part. the entertainment section of the newspaper segment applies to a part separated or marked out by or as if by natural lines of cleavage. the retired segment of the population fragment applies to a part produced by or as if by breaking off. only a fragment of the play still exists

Examples of segment in a Sentence

Noun

The railroad track is divided into segments. I think I lost one segment of this model kit.

Verb

Market researchers have segmented the population into different age groups.

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

As with the On the Run II tour, each segment of the performance came with its own style statement connected to the songs. — Janelle Okwodu, Vogue, "Beyoncé and Jay-Z Turned the Global Citizen Festival Into a Stunning Fashion Celebration of Mandela’s Legacy," 3 Dec. 2018 That’s because due to monopolization, many segments of corporate America are becoming increasingly concentrated spaces. — Emily Stewart, Vox, "America’s monopoly problem, in one chart," 26 Nov. 2018 And yes, even today there’s a large segment of people in East and southern Africa who continue to do so. — Klara Glowczewska, Town & Country, "Melania Trump Gave Us All a Valuable Lesson in How Not to Dress in Africa," 9 Oct. 2018 Different segments of the series have offered up addendums to the basic conceit, starting with an open world and a flexible parkour system. — Daniel Starkey, Ars Technica, "Assassin’s Creed Odyssey," 4 Oct. 2018 Other segments of California’s water-delivery network have suffered from sinking ground. — Dale Kasler And Phillip Reese, sacbee, "The Valley floor is sinking, and it’s crippling California’s ability to deliver water," 13 July 2018 After the public segment of the discussion, Mas and Beckham spoke with professional drawings and conversational sketches of their ideas. — Dave Hyde, Sun-Sentinel.com, "Hyde: MLS proposal is short on details, long on questions | Commentary," 13 July 2018 But that short segment of roadway will close eventually to allow for its reconstruction. — Luz Lazo, Washington Post, "Another portion of Beach Drive reopens Monday," 8 July 2018 Though Lyle's finely attuned to the anxieties of suburbanites on their scramble toward the complacencies of middle age, the wittiest segments of his script are the put-downs, which soon begin to grate. — Irene Hsiao, Chicago Reader, "It's the end of the world at the Barbecue Apocalypse and nobody feels fine," 29 June 2018

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb

The closet is segmented into two racks—suits and bondage. — Vogue, "Christine and the Queens Releases a New Video for “5 Dollars,” and the Vibe Is “American Gigolo With a Twist”," 16 Aug. 2018 As the new season of Orange Is the New Black highlights, long gone are the alliances that once segmented many of the Litchfield inmates as the mistreatment of the women has reached an all-time high. — Candice Frederick, Teen Vogue, ""Orange is the New Black" Season 6 Has the Women Striving for Peace and Community More Than Ever," 27 July 2018 Nonetheless, Facebook customers are plentiful, and the ways to segment them are virtually infinite. — Daniel Gallant, WSJ, "How to Beat the Zuckerberg Casino," 8 July 2018 It's been one scripted step forward, a couple of Muslim-bashing Fox News segments back. — Lorraine Ali, latimes.com, "'Roseanne': The Conners fear their new Muslim neighbors may be terrorists," 9 May 2018 The second is segmenting the hell out of the business and understanding what drives profitability. — Polina Marinova, Fortune, "Term Sheet -- Thursday, June 14," 14 June 2018 But that statistic shifts when segmented by age: 53 percent of 18 to 24 year olds prefer self-checkout compared to 13 percent of those aged 55 and over. — Carolina A. Miranda, The Atlantic, "The Unbearable Awkwardness of Automation," 13 June 2018 The carrier also is one of the biggest holdouts of the shift to segmenting passengers, maintaining its policy of not charging for checked bags and largely forgoing assigned seats on its fleet of more than 700 Boeing Co. jets. — Doug Cameron, WSJ, "Fare Increases in Focus as Airlines Report This Week," 24 Apr. 2018 The lobby is segmented into spaces for lounging, working and reading. — Pamela Dittmer Mckuen, chicagotribune.com, "New, luxe Gold Coast apartments go for 'understated elegance'," 20 Sep. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'segment.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Keep scrolling for more

Learn More about segment

Dictionary Entries near segment

Statistics for segment

Last Updated

15 Dec 2018

Look-up Popularity

Time Traveler for segment

The first known use of segment was in 1570

See more words from the same year

Keep scrolling for more

More Definitions for segment

segment

noun

English Language Learners Definition of segment

(Entry 1 of 2)

: one of the parts into which something can be divided

geometry : a part of a circle formed by drawing a straight line between two points on the circle

: a part of a straight line between two points

segment

verb

English Language Learners Definition of segment (Entry 2 of 2)

: to divide (something) into parts

See the full definition for segment in the English Language Learners Dictionary

segment

noun

seg·ment | \ˈseg-mənt

Kids Definition of segment

1 : any of the parts into which a thing is divided or naturally separates

2 : a part cut off from a figure (as a circle) by means of a line or plane

3 : a part of a straight line included between two points

segment

noun

seg·ment | \ˈseg-mənt

Medical Definition of segment

(Entry 1 of 2)

: one of the constituent parts into which a body, entity, or quantity is divided or marked off by or as if by natural boundaries bronchopulmonary segments the affected segment of the colon was resected