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cross-section

cross-section

5.3
Showing the inside shape you see when you cut something across, like a tree trunk
  • adjective
  • /ˈkrɔsˌsɛkʃən/
  • Specialized
translation icon : sección transversal
  • In our biology class, we examined the cross-section of a plant stem to study its internal structure.

Examples

  • The engineer provided a detailed illustration of the pipe's cross-section to show where it had corroded.

  • The architect presented the building's cross-section to demonstrate the layout of each floor.

  • If we slice it and turn it, it's also Oval in cross section but perpendicular right.

  • So I'm going to draw my Tocorac or my toroidal device in cross section like this.

Synonyms

section
vscross-section
  • Specialized
19 5.5

The shape made when a flat cut passes through a solid object

specifies cuts made at right angles to the object's length
cross section
vscross-section
  • Specialized
1 3.7

A surface or shape made by cutting through an object across its longest part

is the same meaning but written with a hyphen
plane section
vscross-section
  • Specialized
7.0

A flat shape made when a flat surface cuts through a solid object

focuses on cuts at right angles to the object's length
cross-sectional
vscross-section
  • Specialized
5.8

Showing the inside of something as if cut across

restricts this to cuts at right angles revealing the shape
sectional
vscross-section
  • Specialized
6.0

Showing the inside of something as if cut through

is narrower stressing right-angle cuts and the revealed shape

Antonyms

484 1.0

All of something seen as one unit

How Revealing

transparent
54 3.2
exploded
  • Specialized
6.8
cutaway
  • Specialized
1 7.2
cross-section
  • Specialized
5.3
external
3 4.2

Surface Forms

cross-section positive

Morphology

cross-section = cross + section (transparent) = cross + section

The meaning is directly built from 'cross' (across/transverse) + 'section' (part), yielding a section made by cutting across something.

Etymology

The word cross-section combines cross ('across') and section ('a cut' or 'a part'). It meant a cut made 'across' something to show the inside, so today a cross-section is the shape or view you get when you slice straight through an object.