cross section

About 8.59 uses per million words.

Meaning

1. noun A section formed by a plane cutting through an object, usually at right angles to an axis.
2. noun A sample meant to be representative of a whole population.
3. noun A measure for the probability that a particular nuclear reaction will take place, typically denoted σ and having units of barns.

Similar words

crosswise section orthoslice axis segment profile sectional angle diagonal cutplane

Word family

cross sections cross-section cross-sectional cross-sectioned cross-sectioning cross-sections