1 [count] a : one of the parts that form something ▪ the upper section of the bridge ▪ This section of the road is closed. b : a particular area that is part of a larger place ▪ the frozen food section in the supermarket ▪ the library's reference section ▪ the Crown Heights section of Brooklyn ▪ Do you want to sit in the nonsmoking section? c : a part of a newspaper, play, book, etc. ▪ Can I see the sports section (of the newspaper)? ▪ The dictionary includes a section on signs and symbols. ▪ Section 1123 of the bankruptcy code d : a part of a group of people ▪ ads that target one section of the population ▪ He had his own cheering section in the stands. [=his own group of people who were cheering for him]
2 [count] : one of several parts made so that something can be put together easily ▪ The siding comes in five-foot sections.
3 [count] : a part of a band or orchestra that has instruments of a particular kind ▪ the brass section ▪ the rhythm section
4 [count] US : one of the parts of an orange, grapefruit, or similar fruit that can be easily separated from each other ▪ a section of grapefruit —see color picture
5 [count] medical : a layer cut from a part of the body ▪ He examined tissue sections of the brain under a microscope. —see also cesarean section
6 a [noncount] : a diagram showing how something would look if it was cut from the top to the bottom : cross section ▪ a drawing of a ship in section b [count] mathematics : a shape that is made when a line cuts through a solid figure ▪ a conical section
7 [count] US : a piece of land that is one mile wide and one mile long