plural cross sections
1
: a view or drawing that shows what the inside of something looks like after a cut has been made across it
a detailed cross section of the human brain
The drawing showed the human brain in cross section.
2
: a small group that includes examples of the different types of people or things in a larger group
The class surveyed a cross section of the student body.
The people in our neighborhood are/form a representative cross section of American society.
Cite this Entry
“Cross section.” Merriam-Webster.com Simple Definition, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/simple/cross%20section. Accessed 28 May. 2026.
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