# vector

/ˈvɛktɝ/ (US) · /vˈɛktɐ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/vector
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. math and physics

noun · CEFR C1 · Technical

a quantity that has both a size and a specific direction.

For teachers: a quantity possessing both magnitude and direction, represented geometrically by an arrow.

- The teacher asked us to calculate the velocity vector of the moving car.
- In classical mechanics, force is treated as a vector because its effect depends on both its strength and the direction in which it is applied.

Usage: Often used with 'magnitude' and 'direction'.

### 2. biology and medicine

noun · CEFR C1 · Technical

an insect or animal that carries a disease from one person to another.

For teachers: an organism, typically a biting insect or tick, that transmits a pathogen from one host to another.

- Mosquitoes are the primary vector for spreading malaria in this region.
- Public health officials focused on eliminating stagnant water to reduce the population of the biological vector responsible for the outbreak.

Usage: Commonly used in the phrase 'disease vector'.

### 3. computing

noun · CEFR C2 · Technical

a list of data items that can change in size.

For teachers: a data structure representing a one-dimensional array that can be dynamically resized.

- The programmer used a vector to store the list of user names.
- The algorithm's efficiency improved significantly after we replaced the static array with a dynamic vector to handle fluctuating data loads.

### 4. aviation

verb · CEFR C2 · Technical

to give a pilot directions to fly a certain course.

For teachers: to guide an aircraft in a particular direction using radio instructions.

- The air traffic controller had to vector the plane around the storm.
- The pilot requested that the tower vector them toward the secondary runway due to the increasing crosswinds.

## Examples

- Mosquitoes are the primary vector for malaria in this region.
- Health officials identified the local tick population as the main vector for the recent outbreak of Lyme disease.
- The engineer calculated the wind velocity as a vector to determine how much the aircraft would drift off its intended flight path during the storm.

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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.