Word forms: plural, 3rd person singular presenttense segments, present participle segmenting, past tense, past participle segmentedpronunciation note: The noun is pronounced (segmənt). The verb is pronounced (segment).
1. countable noun
A segment of something is one part of it, considered separately from the rest.
...the poorer segments of society. [+ of]
...the third segment of his journey. [+ of]
Synonyms: section, part, piece, division More Synonyms of segment
2. countable noun
A segment of fruit such as an orange or grapefruit is one of the sections into which it is easily divided.
3. countable noun
A segment of a circle is one of the two parts into which it is divided when you draw a straight line through it.
4. countable noun
A segment of a market is one part of it, considered separately from the rest.
Three-to-five day cruises are the fastest-growing segment of the market. [+ of]
Women's tennis is the market leader in a growing market segment–women's sports.
5. verb
If a company segments a market, it divides it into separate parts, usually in order to improve marketing opportunities.
[business]
The big multinational companies can segment the world markets into national ones. [VERB noun + into]
Synonyms: divide, split, break up, split up More Synonyms of segment
More Synonyms of segment
segment in British English
noun (ˈsɛɡmənt)
1. mathematics
a.
a part of a line or curve between two points
b.
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
2.
one of several parts or sections into which an object is divided; portion
3. zoology
any of the parts into which the body or appendages of an annelid or arthropod are divided
4. linguistics
a speech sound considered in isolation
verb (sɛɡˈmɛnt)
5.
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
segment in American English
(ˈsɛgmənt; for v., ˈsɛgmɛnt)
noun
1.
any of the parts into which a body is separated or separable; division; section
2. Geometry
a.
a part of a figure, esp. of a circle or sphere, marked off or made separate by a line or plane, as a part of a circular area bounded by an arc and its chord
b.
any of the finite sections of a line
3. Linguistics
a phone, or single sound, in the stream of speech
4. Zoology
a.
metamere
b.
the part of an arthropod appendage between joints
verb transitive, verb intransitive
5.
to divide into segments
SIMILAR WORDS: part
Derived forms
segmentary (ˈsegmenˌtary)
adjective
Word origin
L segmentum < secare, to cut: see saw1
Examples of 'segment' in a sentence
segment
Skin the oranges and cut the segments out.
The Sun (2014)
Divide the orange segments between two small glasses and pour the liquid jelly over the top.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
Today they are the fastest growing segment of the business.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
Trying to serve more than one segment superbly is dangerous.
Davidow, William H. & Uttal, Bro Total Customer Service (The Ultimate Weapon) (1990)
Carefully cut out the fruit segments from just inside the membrane.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
Serve warm with chilli jam or orange and lemon segments.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
Once more teams are ready they can add a qualifying segment to the world championship.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
They are segments of one unknown whole.
Travers, P L What the Bee Knows - reflections on myth, symbol and story (1989)
Arrange the orange segments and half slices around the duck.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
Divide the segments into three before crossing the left over the middle and repeating with the right side.
The Sun (2015)
It is the fastest-growing segment in the sector.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
Autonomy was the fastest-growing segment within the business earlier this year.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
Internet advertising and video games will be the fastest-growing segments.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
I followed the abandoned segment of the line by coach.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
In addition, series preaching runs the risk of sparking the interest of only one segment of the body.
Christianity Today (2000)
That is proper GDP growth and in the right segment of the economy.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
In other languages
segment
British English: segment NOUN
A segment of something is one part of it, considered separately from the rest.
...the poorer segments of society.
American English: segment
Brazilian Portuguese: segmento
Chinese: 部分
European Spanish: segmento
French: segment
German: Segment
Italian: segmento
Japanese: 部分
Korean: 부분
European Portuguese: segmento
Latin American Spanish: segmento
Chinese translation of 'segment'
segment
(ˈsɛɡmənt)
n(c)
[of population, society]阶(階)层(層) (jiēcéng)
[of market, economy etc]部分 (bùfen)
[of orange]瓣 (bàn)
1 (noun)
Definition
one of several parts or sections into which an object is divided
the poorer segments of society
Synonyms
section
a geological section of a rock
part
A large part of his earnings went on repaying the bank loan.
piece
a piece of wood
Another piece of cake?
division
Each was divided into several divisions.
element
one of the key elements of the UN's peace plan
slice
water flavoured with a slice of lemon
portion
wedge
compartment
We usually put the mind, the body and the spirit into three separate compartments.
subdivision
2 (noun)
Definition
one of several parts or sections into which an object is divided
I handed out segments of orange at half-time.
Synonyms
section
bit
a bit of cake
slice
portion
I have spent a large portion of my life here.
lump
a lump of wood
chunk
Cut the melon into chunks.
wedge
a wedge of cheese
slab
slabs of stone
hunk
a thick hunk of bread
(verb)
Definition
to cut or divide into segments
As clubs get more organised they'll segment their squads.
Synonyms
divide
the artificial line that divided the city
split
Split the wages between you.
break up
The crowd broke up reluctantly.
split up
I was beginning to think that we would never split up.
divide up
subdivide
Additional synonyms
in the sense of bit
Definition
a small piece, portion, or quantity
a bit of cake
Synonyms
slice,
segment,
fragment,
crumb,
mouthful,
small piece,
morsel,
chip,
grain,
speck,
atom,
mite
in the sense of break up
Definition
to separate or cause to separate
The crowd broke up reluctantly.
Synonyms
scatter,
separate,
divide,
dissolve
in the sense of chunk
Definition
a thick solid piece of something
Cut the melon into chunks.
Synonyms
piece,
block,
mass,
portion,
lump,
slab,
hunk,
nugget,
wad,
dollop (informal),
wodge (British, informal)
Synonyms of 'segment'
segment
Explore 'segment' in the dictionary
Additional synonyms
in the sense of compartment
Definition
a separate section
We usually put the mind, the body and the spirit into three separate compartments.
Synonyms
category,
area,
department,
division,
section,
subdivision
in the sense of division
Definition
one of the parts into which something is divided
Each was divided into several divisions.
Synonyms
part,
bit,
piece,
section,
sector,
class,
category,
segment,
portion,
fraction,
compartment
in the sense of element
Definition
one of the fundamental components making up a whole
one of the key elements of the UN's peace plan
Synonyms
component,
part,
feature,
unit,
section,
factor,
principle,
aspect,
detail,
foundation,
ingredient,
constituent,
subdivision
in the sense of hunk
Definition
a large piece
a thick hunk of bread
Synonyms
lump,
piece,
chunk,
block,
mass,
wedge,
slab,
nugget,
wodge (British, informal),
gobbet
in the sense of lump
Definition
a small solid mass without definite shape
a lump of wood
Synonyms
piece,
group,
ball,
spot,
block,
mass,
cake,
bunch,
cluster,
chunk,
wedge,
dab,
hunk,
nugget,
gob,
clod,
gobbet
in the sense of part
Definition
a piece or portion
A large part of his earnings went on repaying the bank loan.
Synonyms
piece,
share,
proportion,
percentage,
lot,
bit,
section,
sector,
slice,
scrap,
particle,
segment,
portion,
fragment,
lump,
fraction,
chunk,
wedge
in the sense of piece
Definition
a separate bit or part
a piece of woodAnother piece of cake?
Synonyms
bit,
section,
slice,
part,
share,
division,
block,
length,
quantity,
scrap,
segment,
portion,
fragment,
fraction,
chunk,
wedge,
shred,
slab,
mouthful,
morsel,
wodge (British, informal)
in the sense of portion
Definition
a part of a whole
I have spent a large portion of my life here.
Synonyms
part,
bit,
piece,
section,
scrap,
segment,
fragment,
fraction,
chunk,
wedge,
hunk,
morsel
in the sense of slab
Definition
a broad flat thick piece of wood, stone, or other material
slabs of stone
Synonyms
piece,
slice,
lump,
chunk,
wedge,
hunk,
portion,
nugget,
wodge (British, informal)
in the sense of slice
Definition
a thin flat piece or wedge cut from something
water flavoured with a slice of lemon
Synonyms
piece,
segment,
portion,
wedge,
sliver,
helping,
share,
cut (informal)
Additional synonyms
in the sense of split
Definition
to divide (something) among two or more people
Split the wages between you.
Synonyms
share out,
divide,
distribute,
halve,
allocate,
partition,
allot,
carve up,
dole out,
apportion,
slice up,
parcel out,
divvy up (informal)
in the sense of split up
Definition
(of a group of people) to go off in different directions
I was beginning to think that we would never split up.