sector

/ˈsɛk.təɹ/

//ˈsɛk.təɹ// noun

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"sector" is a 6-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“sector” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #2,229 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#2,229
frequency rank, English
6
letters
9
tracked misspellings
18
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A section.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

sector vs sects
67% similar
sector vs seton
67% similar
sector vs señor
67% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for sector
PropertyValue
Headwordsector
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈsɛk.təɹ/
Letters6
Frequency rank#2,229
Misspellings tracked9
Confusable pairs18
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “sector” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). sector lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for sector is 6 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈsɛk.təɹ/. Corpus data places it at rank #2,229 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 14 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 9 likely wrong-spelling variants for sector, with forms such as "esctor", "scetor", and "secctor". Each variant is a distinct typo pattern an edit-distance generator flags, typically a doubled-consonant error, a silent-letter drop, or a vowel substitution. It also participates in 18 confusable-pair relationships, "sects", "seton", "señor", and more, a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

Etymologically, the entry records: Borrowed from Latin sector. The correct English form is sector, spelled S-E-C-T-O-R.

Definition

  1. 1
    A section.
  2. 2
    In the schedule for an aircraft and its crew, the period starting with preparation of the plane before loading at one airport and ending with deplaning at the next.
  3. 3
    A zone; a designated area.
  4. 4
    A zone; a designated area.
  5. 5
    A zone; a designated area.
  6. 6
    A zone; a designated area.
  7. 7
    Part of a circle, extending to the center; circular sector.
  8. 8
    A portion of a sphere or ball defined by a conical boundary with apex at the center of the sphere.
  9. 9
    A fixed-sized unit (traditionally 512 bytes) of sequential data stored on a track of a digital medium.
  10. 10
    An instrument consisting of two rulers of equal length joined by a hinge.
  11. 11
    A field of economic activity.
  12. 12
    A toothed gear whose face is the arc of a circle.
  13. 13
    A fixed, continuous section of the track, such that sectors do not overlap but all sectors make up the whole track.
  14. 14
    An area of a crag, consisting of various routes

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin sector.

This word in other languages

sector(Español)secteur(Français)setor(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: esctor,scetor,secctor,secotr,sectorr,sectro,secttor,setcor,ssector

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of sector - counted as single-character edits (an insertion, a deletion, or a substituted letter). The larger the bar, the easier the typo is to spot; one-edit slips are the ones that sneak past readers.

esctor2scetor2secctor1secotr2sectorr1sectro2secttor1setcor2
Edit distance from "sector"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "sector"?
"sector" is spelled S-E-C-T-O-R. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈsɛk.təɹ/.
What does "sector" mean?
As a noun, "sector" means: A section.
What words are commonly confused with "sector"?
"sector" is commonly confused with "sects", "seton", "señor". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "sector"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "sector" is /ˈsɛk.təɹ/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "sector"?
Borrowed from Latin sector. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “sector”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is S-E-C-T-O-R - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈsɛk.təɹ/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “sects” - see the side-by-side comparison. sector vs sects
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list