# sector

/ˈsɛktɝ/ (US) · /sˈɛktɐ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/sector
Updated: 2026-05-02

## Senses

### 2. geographic zone

noun · CEFR B2

a particular area of land or space that is controlled by a certain group.

For teachers: a designated area or zone, especially one used for military or administrative purposes.

- The city was divided into four sectors, each managed by a different team.
- The peacekeeping forces were assigned to the northern sector to monitor the border and prevent further escalations of the conflict.

### 3. geometry

noun · CEFR C1 · Technical

a part of a circle that looks like a slice of pie.

For teachers: the portion of a circle enclosed by two radii and an arc.

- The teacher asked us to calculate the area of the shaded sector.
- To determine the total area of the circular garden, we must first calculate the dimensions of each individual sector defined by the walking paths.

### 4. computing

noun · CEFR C1 · Technical

a small section on a computer hard drive where data is stored.

For teachers: a subdivision of a track on a magnetic disk or optical disc.

- The computer could not read the file because of a bad sector on the disk.
- The recovery software attempted to bypass the damaged sectors to retrieve the remaining data from the corrupted hard drive.

### 5. aviation

noun · CEFR C1 · Technical

one part of a flight journey, from one airport to the next.

For teachers: a single leg of a flight involving one take-off and one landing.

- The pilot flew three sectors today before finishing her shift.
- The airline's scheduling software ensures that crew members do not exceed their maximum duty hours across multiple short-haul sectors.

## Examples

- The private sector creates many new jobs each year.
- Government investment in the technology sector has led to rapid growth in local software development firms.
- Economists are closely monitoring the manufacturing sector for signs of recovery, as it remains a vital indicator of the country's overall industrial health and export potential.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.