vector field

noun

: a set of vectors that is defined in relation to a function such that each point of the function is associated with a vector from the set

Examples of vector field in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
This map, which is called a vector field, is a snapshot of the internal dynamics of a fluid. — Quanta Magazine, 21 Dec. 2017 Such a point is usually a vortex in a continuous vector field. — Manon Bischoff, Scientific American, 9 June 2026 There's an instrument that measures incident ions along the spacecraft's orbit, as well as a 13-foot-long boom, which has a vector field magnetometer and three startrackers attached at the halfway point. — Jennifer Leman, Popular Mechanics, 1 June 2020

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1922, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of vector field was circa 1922

Rhymes for vector field

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Browse Nearby Words

vector diagram
vector field
vector graphics
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Cite this Entry

“Vector field.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/vector%20field. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on vector field

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about vector field

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