Sector vs. Segment — What's the Difference?
By Tayyaba Rehman — Updated on October 26, 2023
A sector is a distinct part of society or economy, while a segment is a division or portion of anything, often geometric or abstract.
Difference Between Sector and Segment
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
Sectors typically refer to distinct areas or divisions within a larger context, commonly used in economics or social studies. Segments, however, are portions or parts of something, often used in reference to objects or abstract concepts.
In business, a sector might refer to part of the economy, like the technology sector. In contrast, a segment could refer to a portion of a market targeted by a company. The use of sector often implies a broader, more encompassing area, while segment suggests a smaller, more specific division.
When talking about a circle, a sector refers to the area between two radii and the encompassing arc. A segment in this context is the area between a chord and the arc it subtends. Here, sector implies a larger portion while segment indicates a smaller, more specific part.
In discussions about demographics, a sector could refer to a significant part of the population, like the youth sector. A segment in this context might be a specific age group within the youth population. Sector here suggests a wider category, and segment points to a more precise subgroup.
The term sector is also used in military and aviation to describe specific operational areas. Segments are often used in data analysis or programming to describe parts of data sets or code. In both uses, sector implies a broader scope, while segment denotes a more confined part.
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Comparison Chart
Usage Context
Economy, society, military
Geometry, data, market analysis
Implication
Broader area or division
Smaller, specific portion
Example in Geometry
Area of a circle between radii
Area of a circle between a chord and arc
Example in Business
Part of the economy (e.g., tech sector)
Part of the market (e.g., demographic segment)
Common Associations
Larger, encompassing
Smaller, detailed
Compare with Definitions
Sector
Societal Category
Policies affecting the education sector are crucial.
Segment
Market Division
They targeted the luxury segment.
Sector
Geometric Area
The sector of the circle was shaded.
Segment
Geometric Portion
The segment of the circle was cut out.
Sector
Military Zone
The troops secured the northern sector.
Segment
Population Group
This segment of voters is crucial.
Sector
An area or portion that is distinct from others
Operations in the southern sector of the North Sea
Segment
Each of the parts into which something is or may be divided
The market for private cars can be broken down into several segments
Orange segments
A large segment of the local population
Sector
The plane figure enclosed by two radii of a circle or ellipse and the arc between them.
Segment
A part of a figure cut off by a line or plane intersecting it.
Sector
A mathematical instrument consisting of two arms hinged at one end and marked with sines, tangents, etc. for making diagrams.
Segment
Each of the series of similar anatomical units of which the body and appendages of some animals are composed, such as the visible rings of an earthworm's body.
Sector
A part or division, as of a city or a national economy
The manufacturing sector.
Segment
The smallest distinct part of a spoken utterance, especially with regard to vowel and consonant sounds rather than stress or intonation.
Sector
The portion of a circle bounded by two radii and the included arc.
Segment
Divide (something) into separate parts or sections
The unemployed are segmented into two groups
Sector
A measuring instrument consisting of two graduated arms hinged together at one end.
Segment
Any of the parts into which something can be divided
Segments of the community.
A segment of a television program.
Sector
(Computers) A portion of a storage device making up the smallest addressable unit of information.
Segment
The portion of a line between any two points on the line.
Sector
A division of a defensive position for which one military unit is responsible.
Segment
The area bounded by a chord and the arc of a curve subtended by the chord.
Sector
A division of an offensive military position.
Segment
The portion of a sphere cut off by two parallel planes.
Sector
To divide (something) into sectors.
Segment
(Biology) A clearly differentiated subdivision of an organism or part, such as a metamere.
Sector
Section
Segment
To divide or become divided into segments.
Sector
Zone (designated area).
Segment
A length of some object.
A segment of rope
Sector
(geometry) part of a circle, extending to the center; circular sector
Segment
One of the parts into which any body naturally separates or is divided; a part divided or cut off; a section; a portion.
A segment of an orange; a segment of a compound or divided leaf
Sector
(computer hardware) fixed-sized unit (traditionally 512 bytes) of sequential data stored on a track of a digital medium (compare to block)
Segment
(mathematics) A portion. Category:en:Shapes
Sector
(military) an area designated by boundaries within which a unit operates, and for which it is responsible
Segment
A straight path between two points that is the shortest distance between them.
Sector
(military) one of the subdivisions of a coastal frontier
Segment
(geometry) The part of a circle between its circumference and a chord (usually other than the diameter).
Sector
(science fiction) a fictional region of space designated for navigational or governance purposes.
Segment
(geometry) The part of a sphere cut off by a plane.
Sector
(calculation) an instrument consisting of two rulers of equal length joined by a hinge.
Segment
(topology) Any of the pieces that constitute an order tree.
Sector
A field of economic activity
Public sector;
Private sector
Segment
(science) A portion.
Sector
(engineering) A toothed gear whose face is the arc of a circle.
Segment
(phonology) A discrete unit of speech: a consonant or a vowel.
Sector
(motor racing) A fixed, continuous section of the track, such that sectors do not overlap but all sectors make up the whole track.
Segment
(botany) A portion of an organ whose cells are derived from a single cell within the primordium from which the organ developed.
Sector
(climbing) An area of a crag, consisting of various routes
Segment
(zoology) One of several parts of an organism, with similar structure, arranged in a chain; such as a vertebra, or a third of an insect's thorax.
Sector
A part of a circle comprehended between two radii and the included arc.
Segment
(broadcasting) A part of a broadcast program, devoted to a topic.
The news showed a segment on global warming.
Sector
A mathematical instrument, consisting of two rulers connected at one end by a joint, each arm marked with several scales, as of equal parts, chords, sines, tangents, etc., one scale of each kind on each arm, and all on lines radiating from the common center of motion. The sector is used for plotting, etc., to any scale.
Segment
(computing) An Ethernet bus.
Sector
An astronomical instrument, the limb of which embraces a small portion only of a circle, used for measuring differences of declination too great for the compass of a micrometer. When it is used for measuring zenith distances of stars, it is called a zenith sector.
Segment
(computing) A region of memory or a fragment of an executable file designated to contain a particular part of a program.
Sector
A plane figure bounded by two radii and the included arc of a circle
Segment
(travel) A portion of an itinerary: it may be a flight or train between two cities, or a car or hotel booked in a particular city.
Sector
A body of people who form part of society or economy;
The public sector
Segment
(heraldry) A bearing representing only one part of a rounded object.
Sector
A particular aspect of life or activity;
He was helpless in an important sector of his life
Segment
(ambitransitive) To divide into segments or sections.
Segment the essay by topic.
Sector
The minimum track length that can be assigned to store information; unless otherwise specified a sector of data consists of 512 bytes
Segment
One of the parts into which any body naturally separates or is divided; a part divided or cut off; a section; a portion; as, a segment of an orange; a segment of a compound or divided leaf.
Sector
A portion of a military position
Segment
A part cut off from a figure by a line or plane; especially, that part of a circle contained between a chord and an arc of that circle, or so much of the circle as is cut off by the chord; as, the segment acb in the Illustration.
Sector
Measuring instrument consisting of two graduated arms hinged at one end
Segment
A piece in the form of the sector of a circle, or part of a ring; as, the segment of a sectional fly wheel or flywheel rim.
Sector
Economic Division
The technology sector is booming.
Segment
One of the cells or division formed by segmentation, as in egg cleavage or in fissiparous cell formation.
Sector
Market Classification
He specializes in the healthcare sector.
Segment
To divide or separate into parts in growth; to undergo segmentation, or cleavage, as in the segmentation of the ovum.
Segment
One of several parts or pieces that fit with others to constitute a whole object;
A section of a fishing rod
Metal sections were used below ground
Finished the final segment of the road
Segment
One of the parts into which something naturally divides;
A segment of an orange
Segment
Divide into segments;
Segment an orange
Segment a compound word
Segment
Divide or split up;
The cells segmented
Segment
Data Subset
Analyze this segment of the dataset.
Segment
Product Category
Our new product targets a niche segment.
Common Curiosities
What is a sector?
A distinct part of society, economy, or a geometric area.
What is a segment?
A division or portion of something, often geometric or abstract.
What is a sector in geometry?
It's the area of a circle between two radii and an arc.
What is a market segment?
It's a specific subgroup within a broader market.
Are sectors always larger than segments?
Generally, sectors imply broader areas while segments are more specific.
Can a business belong to multiple sectors?
Yes, businesses can operate across multiple sectors.
What’s an example of a sector in society?
The healthcare sector.
Is the term 'sector' used in the military?
Yes, for designating specific operational areas.
How is a sector different from a segment in economics?
A sector refers to a larger division of the economy, while a segment often refers to a specific market niche.
Can a sector and a segment mean the same thing?
In some contexts, they may overlap, but generally, they have distinct meanings.
Can a segment refer to a group of people?
Yes, especially in marketing or demographic analysis.
Can a segment be a physical object?
Yes, it can refer to a part of any physical object.
What is a segment in geometry?
It's the area between a chord of a circle and the arc it subtends.
Is a sector always part of a larger whole?
Generally, it represents a division within a larger context.
How are sectors and segments used in data analysis?
Sectors may refer to broad areas of focus, while segments refer to specific parts of the data.
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Written by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
