segment

UK: ˈsɛɡmənt | US: ˈsɛɡmənt

Definition
  1. n. a distinct part or section of something

  2. vt. to divide into separate parts or sections

Structure
seg <cut>ment <noun suffix>
Etymology

The word "segment" originates from the Latin segmentum, meaning "a piece cut off," derived from secare ("to cut"). The morpheme seg- preserves the core idea of division, while -ment (a noun-forming suffix) indicates the result of the action. Over time, the term evolved to broadly describe any distinct section, whether physically separated (e.g., orange segments) or conceptually divided (e.g., market segments).

Examples
  1. The orange was divided into six equal segments.

  2. The report analyzed each segment of the population separately.

  3. The company plans to segment its customers by age and income.

  4. A line segment connects two points in geometry.

  5. The worm’s body consists of multiple repeating segments.