What does "segment" mean?
A length of some object.
Segment
/ˈsɛɡmɛnt/ noun, verb
noun, verb ·Very common ·Middle school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A length of some object.
- Grammar: segment is listed as noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: section, adjunct, affiliation, age breakdown.
- Useful contrasts: whole entity, most whole-organism, blending.
- Usage evidence: Many firms are competing for the wealthier segment of the market.
How to use "segment"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "segment" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "segment" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "segment" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "segment" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "segment" is acting as noun, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "section" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "segment", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A length of some object.
"a segment of rope"
- 2 one of several parts or pieces that fit with others to constitute a whole object wordnet
- 3 One of the parts into which any body naturally separates or is divided; a part divided or cut off; a section; a portion.
"a segment of an orange; a segment of a compound or divided leaf"
- 4 one of the parts into which something naturally divides wordnet
- 5 A portion.; A straight path between two points that is the shortest distance between them; a line segment.
Show 10 more definitions
- 6 A portion.; The part of a circle between its circumference and a chord (usually other than the diameter).
- 7 A portion.; The part of a sphere cut off by a plane.
- 8 A portion.; Any of the pieces that constitute an order tree.
- 9 A portion.; A discrete unit of speech: a consonant or a vowel.
- 10 A portion.; A portion of an organ whose cells are derived from a single cell within the primordium from which the organ developed.
"In Lejeuneaceae vegetative branches normally originate from the basiscopic basal portion of a lateral segment half, as in the Radulaceae, and the associated leaves, therefore, are quite unmodified."
- 11 A portion.; One of several parts of an organism, with similar structure, arranged in a chain; such as a vertebra, or a third of an insect's thorax.
- 12 A part of a broadcast program, devoted to a topic.
"The news showed a segment on global warming."
- 13 An Ethernet bus.
- 14 A region of memory or a fragment of an executable file designated to contain a particular part of a program.
- 15 A portion of an itinerary: it may be a flight or train between two cities, or a car or hotel booked in a particular city.
Verb
- 1 To divide into segments or sections. ambitransitive
"Segment the essay by topic."
- 2 divide or split up wordnet
- 3 divide into segments wordnet
Synonyms
All synonymsExample
"Many firms are competing for the wealthier segment of the market."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "segment"?
Common synonyms include: section, adjunct, affiliation, age breakdown, agglomerating, aggroup.
How do you use "segment" in a sentence?
Many firms are competing for the wealthier segment of the market.
How do you pronounce "segment"?
Pronounced /ˈsɛɡmɛnt/.
Etymology
From Latin segmentum (“a piece cut off, a strip, segment of the earth, a strip of tinsel”), from secāre (“to cut”).