Hypertext Webster Gateway: "sextant"
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Sextant \Sex"tant\, 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.
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}.
3. (Astron.) The constellation Sextans.
{Box sextant}, a small sextant inclosed in a cylindrical case
to make it more portable.
From WordNet (r) 1.7 (wn)
sextant
n 1: a unit of angular distance equal to 60 degrees
2: a measuring instrument for measuring the angular distance
between celestial objects; resembles an octant
Additional Hypertext Webster Gateway Lookup
Gateway by dict@stokkie.net
stock only wrote the gateway and does not have any control over the contents;
see the Webster Gateway FAQ,
and also the Back-end/database links and credits.