vector
vector
UK[ˈvɛktə]US[ˈvɛktər]
n
A quantity having direction as well as magnitude, especially as determining the position of one point in space relative to another.
n
An organism, typically a biting insect or tick, that transmits a disease or parasite from one animal or plant to another.
n
A course to be taken by an aircraft.
n
(in computing) A one-dimensional array.
Morpheme Breakdown
vect
or
vect
carry
or
agent suffix
Etymology
The word 'vector' entered English in the 18th century from Latin, where vector meant 'carrier' or 'one who conveys'. It is derived from the past participle stem (vect-) of the verb vehere, 'to carry'. This literal sense of 'carrier' directly informs its modern scientific meanings: in mathematics, it is a quantity that 'carries' information about direction and magnitude; in biology, it is an organism that 'carries' and transmits pathogens. The journey from a general Latin term for a transporter to a precise technical term in multiple scientific fields exemplifies semantic specialization based on the core concept of conveyance.
Analysis
Structure: vect (carry) + or (agent suffix)
'vect' originates from the Latin verb vehere, meaning 'to carry, to convey'. The suffix '-or' is a Latin agent noun suffix, indicating a person or thing that performs the action of the verb.
Examples
The velocity of the object was represented by a vector pointing northeast.
Mosquitoes are a common vector for diseases like malaria and dengue fever.
The pilot adjusted the aircraft's vector to avoid the storm system.