1. A variable quantity that can be resolved into components
   "The force vector was decomposed into its x, y, and z components"
    
2. A straight line segment whose length is magnitude and whose orientation in space is direction
   "The physicist drew a vector to represent the force acting on the object"
    
3. (microorganism) any agent (person, animal or microorganism) that carries and transmits a disease
   "mosquitos are vectors of malaria and yellow fever"; "fleas are vectors of the plague"; "when medical scientists talk about vectors they are usually talking about insects";
   - transmitter
    
4. (genetics) a virus or other agent that is used to deliver DNA to a cell
   "Scientists used a viral vector to introduce the therapeutic gene into the patient's cells"
    
5. (aviation) a chosen course or direction of motion
   "The pilot adjusted the vector to avoid the storm"
    
6. (programming) a one-dimensional array
   "He used a vector to store the list of user IDs"

1. (of an aircraft) set a course towards a selected point
   "The controller vectored the plane towards the runway"

Derived forms: vectored, vectoring, vectors

Type of: agent, straight line, variable, variable quantity, virus

Encyclopedia: Vector