section

The word “section” means a distinct part of something larger, such as a document, area, or object. In plain terms, a part or division of something bigger, like a chapter, department, or slice.

“Section” is pronounced SEHK-shuhn (/ˈsɛkʃən/ in IPA).

Here is “section” used in a sentence: “Please read the introduction section before starting the exam.”

Depending on how it is used, “section” can be a noun and a verb.

The word “section” comes from Latin. From Old French "section," from Latin "sectio" ("a cutting"), from "secare" ("to cut") — the same root as "saw.".

“Section” is a very common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A1 level.

“Section” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a distinct part of something larger, such as a document, area, or object.

A chapter is a specific kind of section used to divide a book or long document, usually numbered or titled and read in sequence. A section is a broader term for any distinct part of something — a document, a shop, a road, or an orchestra. Every chapter is a section, but not every section is a chapter.

The two overlap, but a section is usually a defined part with a clear role, like a section of a report or a store. A segment often suggests one piece of something cut or divided into similar parts, such as a segment of an orange or a market segment. Sections feel structural; segments feel sliced.

Sections appear almost everywhere. A newspaper has a sports section, a report has an introduction section, and a supermarket has a frozen-food section. An orchestra has a string section, and a road may have a closed section. In each case, it is a distinct, recognisable part of a larger whole.