section

SEK-shuhn/ˈsɛkʃən/

24 meanings of section

1
part (general)nouncountable
A part or piece of a larger whole.
Like one slice of an orange among many.
Cut the cake into equal sections for the party.
The back section of the bus was almost empty.
Similarpart, segment, division, portion, subdivision
2
nouncountable
A part of a written document, especially a main part, often marked with §.
Read the safety section before using the machine.
Each section of the form asks for different details.
UsageWith a number, say in section 4, with no the.
Similarclause, article, paragraph
3
orchestra groupnouncountable
A group of musicians in an orchestra or band who play the same kind or family of instrument.
Like a team where everyone plays the same position.
The string section played softly during the slow song.
She plays in the brass section of the school band.
UsagePut the instrument first: string section, brass section.
Note

Less common meanings

4
inside viewnouncountable
A drawing that shows what something looks like when cut straight through.
The book has a drawing of a section through the earth, with all its layers.
Look at the section to see how the engine fits together.
UsageSay flat in section or round in section for the shape something has when cut across.
Similarcutaway
Note
5
piece cut offnouncountable
A piece that has been cut away from something larger.
Like a slice taken from a loaf of bread.
The builder sawed a section off the plank so it would fit.
The gardener planted a section cut from the parent plant.
Similarpiece, slice
Note
6
verbtransitive
To cut or divide something into parts, for example into very thin slices to look at under a microscope.
Like slicing a pizza into separate pieces.
The chef sectioned the orange before serving it.
Use a small knife to section the grapefruit before serving it.
7
surgical birthnouncolloquialabbreviationellipsis
Short form of Caesarean section. A way to deliver a baby through a cut in the belly.
She had her baby by section after a long labor.
The hospital performs many sections each week.
UsageSay she had a section, or the baby was born by section.
Note
8
verbtransitive
To deliver a baby by cutting open the mother's belly.
Doctors sectioned her quickly when the baby's heart rate dropped.
When the baby's heart rate dropped, the doctor decided to section her.
UsageUsually the mother is sectioned. Make the birth clear, because it can also mean sent to a mental hospital.
Note
9
slide samplenouncountable
A very thin slice of material cut so it can be studied under a microscope.
Like a slice of bread so thin you can see light through it.
She cut a thin section of the bone to look at under the microscope.
The thin sections were placed on glass slides for the class to study.
Similarslice, specimen
Note
10
square milenounCanadaUScountable
A unit of land equal to one square mile, used in some land surveys.
Like a square of land where each side is one mile long.
Grandpa's farm covered a whole section, which is one square mile of land.
The survey map split the land into sections of one square mile each.
Note
11
army unitnouncountable
A small group of soldiers, often about eight, that is part of a larger platoon.
Like a small team that is part of a bigger group.
The sergeant ordered his section to take cover.
Each section moved quietly through the trees.
Similarsquad
Note
12
the symbolnouncountable
The mark §, used to point to a part of a document.
13
surgical cutnouncountable or uncountable
A cut made through something, especially a cut a doctor makes during an operation.
Like one stroke of a knife through a block of butter.
Surgical section of the nerve ended her years of face pain.
The doctor said section of the tendon would help her walk again.
Similarcutting
14
classnounUSCanadaPhilippinescountable
A group of students who meet with the same teacher during a school term.
Like splitting one big team into smaller groups, each with its own coach.
My friend is in a different section of the same math class.
She signed up for the morning section of the biology class.
Similarclass
Note
15
building plotnounNew Zealandcountable
A piece of land where someone can build or own a home.
Like one slice of a big field, marked off for a single home.
They bought a small section and built their first house on it.
The empty section next to ours finally sold last week.
Similarplot, lot, site
Note
16
commit to hospitalverbAustraliaNew ZealandUKtransitive
To send someone to a mental health hospital for treatment without their consent.
The doctors had to section him for his own safety.
They sectioned her after she stopped taking her medicine.
UsageUsually said as be sectioned: he was sectioned last year.
Note
17
noun
A rank used to group living things, smaller than a genus but larger than a species.
18
noun
The layers of rock or soil you can see when the ground is cut straight down, or a drawing of them.
19
noun
A long piece of metal bent into an L shape, used to build frames and supports.
20
noun
A cut-through view of an aircraft, taken straight across its body from side to side.
21
noun
An informal way of grouping living things, ranked below an order but above a family.
22
noun
In higher math, a continuous rule that picks out one point above every spot in a larger structured space.
23
noun
In advanced math, an arrow that the original arrow undoes when it follows.
24
noun
In advanced math, a piece of data assigned to an open part of a space.

Practice

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Origin

It comes from Latin secāre meaning "to cut," through Old French and Middle English.

Checked 5 Nov 2026 · 2 facts

Section ultimately derives from Latin secāre, meaning "to cut." en.wiktionary.org
The borrowing route passes through Old French and Middle English. en.wiktionary.org