Medical Dictionary
1vector
noun vec·tor \ˈvek-tər\
Medical Definition of VECTOR
1
: a quantity that has magnitude and direction and that is usually represented by part of a straight line with the given direction and with a length representing the magnitude
2
: an organism (as an insect) that transmits a pathogen from one organism or source to another <fleas are vectors of plague>—compare carrier 1a
3
: an agent (as a plasmid or virus) that contains or carries modified genetic material (as recombinant DNA) and can be used to introduce exogenous genes into the genome of an organism
—vec·to·ri·al \vek-ˈtōr-ē-əl, -ˈtȯr-\ adjective
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