First Known Use: 1731
Dictionary
octant
noun oc·tant \ˈäk-tənt\
Definition of OCTANT
1
: an instrument for observing altitudes of a celestial body from a moving ship or aircraft
2
: any of the eight parts into which a space is divided by three coordinate planes
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Origin of OCTANT
Latin octant-, octans eighth of a circle, from octo
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