A sextant is a navigationalrelated to finding direction and determining a route instrument used to measure angles, especially between celestialrelating to stars, planets, or other objects in the sky objects and the horizon. It can also mean a 60-degree unit of angularrelating to angles or measured turns distance in technical use.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-21. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Pronunciation
AI-generated pronunciation audio (OpenAI).
Accent: General American English
IPA: /ˈsɛkstənt/
Easy pronunciation: SEK-stənt (approximate spelling).
Stress: Stress the first syllable.
Navigation instrument for measuring angles to celestial objects.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: uncertain — manual review needed. Checked: 2026-10-21. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Sextant Meaning
a navigation tool for measuring angles between stars, the sun, or the horizon
Part of speech: noun
Definition: a measuring instrument used to measure the angular distance between celestial objects
Example: The sailor used a sextant to find the ship’s position at sea.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-21. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Other Meanings of Sextant
Meaning 2
a 60-degree angle measure
Part of speech: noun
Definition: a unit of angular distance equal to 60 degrees
Example: In technical contexts, a sextant can refer to a 60-degree division.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: inaccurate — correction needed. Checked: 2026-10-21. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Common Mistakes
- Confusing sextant with octant, which measures 45 degrees.
- Using sextant to mean any general angle-measuring tool; it is specifically a navigation instrument.
- Mixing up the instrument sense with the technical geometry meaning of a 60-degree angular unit.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: uncertain — manual review needed. Checked: 2026-10-21. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does sextant mean?
A sextant is a navigation instrument used to measure angles between celestial objects, especially for determining position at sea. It can also refer to a 60-degree unit of angular distance in technical use.
Is sextant a synonym for octant?
No. They are related instruments, but a sextant is not the same as an octant.
What is the simple meaning of sextant?
It is a tool used for measuring angles in navigation.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-21. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.