| Sectant | n. [ L. secare, sectum, to cut. ] One of the portions of space bounded by the three coordinate planes. Specif. (Crystallog.), one of the parts of a crystal into which it is divided by the axial planes. [ 1913 Webster ] |
| Sextant | n. [ L. sextans, -antis, the sixth part of an as, fr. sextus sixth, sex six. See Six. ] 1. (Math.) The sixth part of a circle. [ 1913 Webster ] 2. An instrument for measuring angular distances between objects, -- used esp. at sea, for ascertaining the latitude and longitude. It is constructed on the same optical principle as Hadley's quadrant, but usually of metal, with a nicer graduation, telescopic sight, and its arc the sixth, and sometimes the third, part of a circle. See Quadrant. [ 1913 Webster ] 3. (Astron.) The constellation Sextans. [ 1913 Webster ]
Box sextant, a small sextant inclosed in a cylindrical case to make it more portable. [ 1913 Webster ]
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