vector
UK: ˈvɛktə | US: ˈvɛktər
n. a quantity having direction and magnitude, especially in physics or mathematics
n. an organism (e.g., mosquito) that transmits a pathogen
n. a course or direction of movement (e.g., "the vector of the storm")
vector = vect<carry> + or<noun suffix>
- vect (from Latin vehere, meaning "to carry")
- or (Latin agent noun suffix, indicating "one who does something")
Etymology Origin:
The word vector originates from Latin vector ("carrier, transporter"), derived from vehere ("to carry"). It entered English in the 18th century via scientific Latin, initially describing forces in physics. The biological sense (disease carrier) emerged later, leveraging the core idea of "transporting" something (e.g., pathogens). The mathematical meaning reflects directional "carrying" of magnitude.
The velocity of the object is represented as a vector.
Mosquitoes are vectors for malaria.
The airplane adjusted its flight vector to avoid turbulence.
In geometry, a vector has both direction and length.
The research focused on controlling insect vectors of disease.