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[n. seg-muh nt; v. seg-ment, seg-ment] /n. ˈsɛg mənt; v. ˈsɛg mɛnt, sɛgˈmɛnt/
a segment of an orange.
  1. a part cut off from a figure, especially a circular or spherical one, by a line or plane, as a part of a circular area contained by an arc and its chord or by two parallel lines or planes.
  2. Also called line segment. a finite section of a line.
  1. any of the rings that compose the body of an annelid or arthropod.
  2. any of the discrete parts of the body of an animal, especially of an arthropod.
an object, as a machine part, having the form of a segment or sector of a circle.
  1. a portion of a program, often one that can be loaded and executed independently of other portions.
  2. a unit of data in a database.
an arclike support on which the typebars of a typewriter rest when not in use.
to separate or divide into segments.
1560-70; < Latin segmentum, equivalent to sec(āre) to cut + -mentum -ment
Related forms
[seg-muh n-ter-ee] /ˈsɛg mənˌtɛr i/ (Show IPA),
segmentate, adjective
intersegment, noun, adjective
multisegment, adjective
multisegmented, adjective
nonsegmentary, adjective
nonsegmented, adjective
unsegmentary, adjective
unsegmented, adjective
1. See part. Unabridged
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British Dictionary definitions for multi-segment


noun (ˈsɛɡmənt)
  1. a part of a line or curve between two points
  2. a part of a plane or solid figure cut off by an intersecting line, plane, or planes, esp one between a chord and an arc of a circle
one of several parts or sections into which an object is divided; portion
(zoology) any of the parts into which the body or appendages of an annelid or arthropod are divided
(linguistics) a speech sound considered in isolation
verb (sɛɡˈmɛnt)
to cut or divide (a whole object) into segments
Derived Forms
segmentary (ˈsɛɡməntərɪ; -trɪ) adjective
Word Origin
C16: from Latin segmentum, from secāre to cut
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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Word Origin and History for multi-segment



1560s, from Latin segmentum "a strip or piece cut off, a cutting, strips of colored cloth," from secare "to cut" (see section (n.)), with euphonious alteration of -c- to -g- before -m-. Latin segmentum was used in Medieval Latin as a geometry term, translating Greek tmema, and the word was first picked up in English in this sense. Meaning "segmental portion of anything circular" is from 1640s; general sense of "a division, section" is from 1762.


1859, intransitive, in reference to cell division, from segment (n.). Transitive sense, "divide (something) into segments" is from 1872. Related: Segmented; segmenting.

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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multi-segment in Medicine

segment seg·ment (sěg'mənt)

  1. A clearly differentiated subdivision of an organism or part, such as a metamere.

  2. A part of an organ having independent function, supply, or drainage.

  3. See zona.

The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
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multi-segment in Science
  1. The portion of a line between any two of its points.

  2. The region bounded by an arc of a circle and the chord that connects the endpoints of the arc.

  3. The portion of a sphere included between a pair of parallel planes that intersect it or are tangent to it.

The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
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