vector field

noun

: a set of vectors that is defined in relation to a function such that each point of the function is associated with a vector from the set

Examples of vector field in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Or a vector field with similar properties. Sean Carroll, Discover Magazine, 24 Sep. 2011 There's an instrument that measures incident ions along the spacecraft's orbit, as well as a 13-foot-long boom, which has a vector field magnetometer and three startrackers attached at the halfway point. Jennifer Leman, Popular Mechanics, 1 June 2020 This map, which is called a vector field, is a snapshot of the internal dynamics of a fluid. Quanta Magazine, 21 Dec. 2017 The Navier-Stokes equations take that snapshot and play it forward, telling you exactly what the vector field will look like at every subsequent moment in time. Quanta Magazine, 21 Dec. 2017

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'vector field.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1922, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of vector field was circa 1922

Dictionary Entries Near vector field

Cite this Entry

“Vector field.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/vector%20field. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on vector field

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!