segment

1 of 2

noun

seg·​ment ˈseg-mənt How to pronounce segment (audio)
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
2
a
: 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
segmentary adjective

segment

2 of 2

verb

seg·​ment ˈseg-ˌment How to pronounce segment (audio)
segmented; segmenting; segments

transitive verb

: to separate into segments : give off as segments
Choose the Right Synonym for segment

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
By defining two clear segments, Ferrari is hoping to streamline its eyewear portfolio and bring Ferrari fans a more diverse range of specs. Demetrius Simms, Robb Report, 6 Mar. 2024 That includes compact pickups, a long-dormant market segment Ford revived in 2021 with the Maverick pickup. Mark Phelan, Detroit Free Press, 6 Mar. 2024 While filming a segment for Bravo Insider in 2022, Girardi opened up about how her legal woes strengthened her relationship with Zizzo. Emily Weaver, Peoplemag, 6 Mar. 2024 Exit polls showed Trump leading former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley among broad segments of the GOP electorate, with voters saying immigration and the economy were their most important issues. Melissa Quinn, CBS News, 6 Mar. 2024 That work has been funded by the state, OCTA officials said. OCTA owns more than 40 miles of the tracks in Orange County and serves as that segment’s managing agency for the Los Angeles-San Diego-San Luis Obispo (LOSSAN) Rail Corridor Agency. Phil Diehl, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 Mar. 2024 One of Sorensen’s key roles has been to lead a weekly segment emphasizing turnovers, to get the ball. Cam Inman, The Mercury News, 2 Mar. 2024 Explore See latest videos, charts and news Watch the full segment here. Rania Aniftos, Billboard, 1 Mar. 2024 Board members took no action and did not make any statements following the public comment segment of the meeting, which lasted almost three hours. Elizabeth Campbell, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 1 Mar. 2024
Verb
The Super Bowl remains the largest television advertising event, no matter how segmented the media world becomes. James Powel, USA TODAY, 23 Feb. 2024 With seven detachable containers, each a different color, labeled for the day of the week, and conveniently segmented for morning and night doses, managing your medication schedule becomes a breeze. Austa Somvichian-Clausen, Travel + Leisure, 21 Feb. 2024 The sheer black skirt was segmented into each sign, with its corresponding animal and symbol embroidered at the hem. Michelle Lee, Peoplemag, 14 Feb. 2024 Communication professionals need to segment beyond regional or country level. Ajay Khari, Forbes, 28 Nov. 2023 Sternum suggests avoiding the exposure of any of these units to the wider Internet, segmenting it into a subnet away from sensitive devices, if possible. Kevin Purdy, Ars Technica, 16 May 2023 Advertisement Paradise Dynasty’s radish pastries are finely segmented and impossibly flaky, with delicate layers of dough that almost disappear upon meeting the tongue. Lucas Kwan Peterson, Los Angeles Times, 21 Dec. 2023 After years of pressure to increase data sharing in the health care system, new efforts would require software makers to ensure that health care providers can easily segment and protect specific information from disclosure when requested by patients. Elizabeth Cooney, STAT, 7 Dec. 2023 But with customers segmented according to their likelihood of churn, the company can decide who should get which discount or offer, allocating their resources efficiently (and not spending money on happy customers predicted to renew). Zohar Bronfman, Forbes, 29 Nov. 2023

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

Noun

Latin segmentum, from secare to cut — more at saw

First Known Use

Noun

1570, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1859, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of segment was in 1570

Dictionary Entries Near segment

Cite this Entry

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

Kids Definition

segment

1 of 2 noun
seg·​ment ˈseg-mənt How to pronounce segment (audio)
1
: any of the parts into which a thing is divided or naturally separates : section, division
2
a
: a part cut off from a geometric figure by a line
especially : the part of a circle enclosed by a chord and an arc
b
: a part of a straight line included between two points

called also line segment

segmented
ˈseg-ˌment-əd
seg-ˈment-
adjective

segment

2 of 2 verb
seg·​ment ˈseg-ˌment How to pronounce segment (audio)
: to separate into segments

Medical Definition

segment

1 of 2 noun
seg·​ment ˈseg-mənt How to pronounce segment (audio)
: 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

segment

2 of 2 transitive verb
seg·​ment ˈseg-ˌment How to pronounce segment (audio)
1
: to cause to undergo segmentation by division or multiplication of cells
2
: to separate into segments

More from Merriam-Webster on segment

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