octant

noun

oc·​tant ˈäk-tənt How to pronounce octant (audio)
1
: an instrument for observing altitudes of a celestial body from a moving ship or aircraft
2
: any of the eight parts into which a space is divided by three coordinate planes

Examples of octant in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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There is no way for such a locus to exist only in opposing octants of a cube. Quanta Magazine, 29 June 2018

Word History

Etymology

Latin octant-, octans eighth of a circle, from octo

First Known Use

1672, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of octant was in 1672

Dictionary Entries Near octant

Cite this Entry

“Octant.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/octant. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.

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