vector - Definitions from Dictionary.com

9 results for: vector

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source - Share This

vec·tor

Audio Help [vek-ter] Pronunciation Key

–noun

Mathematics.

a.	a quantity possessing both magnitude and direction, represented by an arrow the direction of which indicates the direction of the quantity and the length of which is proportional to the magnitude. Compare scalar (def. 4).

b.	such a quantity with the additional requirement that such quantities obey the parallelogram law of addition.

c.	such a quantity with the additional requirement that such quantities are to transform in a particular way under changes of the coordinate system.

d.	any generalization of the above quantities.

2.	the direction or course followed by an airplane, missile, or the like.

Biology.

a.	an insect or other organism that transmits a pathogenic fungus, virus, bacterium, etc.

b.	any agent that acts as a carrier or transporter, as a virus or plasmid that conveys a genetically engineered DNA segment into a host cell.

4.	Computers. an array of data ordered such that individual items can be located with a single index or subscript.

–verb (used with object)

5.	Aeronautics. to guide (an aircraft) in flight by issuing appropriate headings.

6.	Aerospace. to change direction of (the thrust of a jet or rocket engine) in order to steer the craft.

[Origin: 1695–1705; < L: one that conveys, equiv. to vec-, var. s. of vehere to carry + -tor -tor

]

—Related forms

vec·to·ri·al

Audio Help [vek-tawr-ee-uh

l, -tohr-] Pronunciation Key, adjective

vec·to·ri·al·ly, adverb

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.
vector

To learn more about vector visit Britannica.com

American Heritage Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

vec·tor Audio Help (věk'tər) Pronunciation Key
n.

Mathematics
1. A quantity, such as velocity, completely specified by a magnitude and a direction.
2. A one-dimensional array.
3. An element of a vector space.
Pathology An organism, such as a mosquito or tick, that carries disease-causing microorganisms from one host to another.
Genetics A bacteriophage, plasmid, or other agent that transfers genetic material from one cell to another.
A force or influence.
A course or direction, as of an airplane.

tr.v. vec·tored, vec·tor·ing, vec·tors
To guide (a pilot or aircraft, for example) by means of radio communication according to vectors.

[Latin, carrier, from vehere, vect-, to carry; see wegh- in Indo-European roots.]

vec·to'ri·al (věk-tôr'ē-əl, -tōr'-) adj.

(Download Now or Buy the Book)

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2006 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

Online Etymology Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
vector

"quantity having magnitude and direction," 1704, from L. vector "one who carries or conveys, carrier," from pp. stem of vehere "carry, convey" (see vehicle).

WordNet - Cite This Source - Share This

vector
noun
1.	a variable quantity that can be resolved into components
2.	a straight line segment whose length is magnitude and whose orientation in space is direction
3.	any agent (person or animal or microorganism) that carries and transmits a disease; "mosquitos are vectors of malaria and yellow fever"; "fleas are vectors of the plague"; "aphids are transmitters of plant diseases"; "when medical scientists talk about vectors they are usually talking about insects"
4.	(genetics) a virus or other agent that is used to deliver DNA to a cell

The American Heritage Science Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

vector Audio Help (věk'tər) Pronunciation Key

A quantity, such as the velocity of an object or the force acting on an object, that has both magnitude and direction. Compare scalar.
An organism, such as a mosquito or tick, that spreads pathogens from one host to another.
A bacteriophage, plasmid, or other agent that transfers genetic material from one cell to another.

The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
Copyright © 2002 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

American Heritage New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition - Cite This Source - Share This
vector

In physics and mathematics, any quantity with both a magnitude and a direction. For example, velocity is a vector because it describes both how fast something is moving and in what direction it is moving. Because velocity is a vector, other quantities in which velocity is a factor, such as acceleration and momentum, are vectors also.

[Chapter:] Physical Sciences and Mathematics

Free On-line Dictionary of Computing - Cite This Source - Share This

vector
1. A member of a vector space.
2. A line or movement defined by its end points, or by the current position and one other point. See vector graphics.
3. A memory location containing the address of some code, often some kind of exception handler or other operating system service. By changing the vector to point to a different piece of code it is possible to modify the behaviour of the operating system.
Compare hook.
4. A one-dimensional array.
(1996-09-30)

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Vector

Vec"tor\, n. [L., a bearer, carrier. fr. vehere, vectum, to carry.]

1. Same as Radius vector.

2. (Math.) A directed quantity, as a straight line, a force, or a velocity. Vectors are said to be equal when their directions are the same their magnitudes equal. Cf. Scalar.

Note: In a triangle, either side is the vector sum of the other two sides taken in proper order; the process finding the vector sum of two or more vectors is vector addition (see under Addition).

Acronym Finder - Cite This Source - Share This

VECTOR

VECTOR: in Acronym Finder

Browse Nearby Entries: