late 14c., "intersection of two straight lines; division of a scale;" from Old French section or directly from Latin sectionem (nominative sectio) "a cutting, cutting off, division," noun of action from past participle stem of secare "to cut," from PIE root *sek- "to cut" (cf. Old Church Slavonic seko, sešti "to cut," se čivo "ax, hatchet;" Lithuanian isekti "to engrave, carve;" Albanian šate "mattock;" Old Saxon segasna, Old English sigðe "scythe;" Old English secg "sword," seax "knife, short sword;" Old Irish doescim "I cut;" Latin saxum "rock, stone").
From 1550s as "act of cutting or dividing." Meaning "subdivision of a written work, statute, etc." is from 1570s. Meaning "a part cut off from the rest" is from early 15c.
"divide into sections," 1819, from section (n.). Related: Sectioned; sectioning.
section sec·tion (sěk'shən)
n.
A cut or division.
The act or process of separating or cutting, especially the surgical cutting or dividing of tissue.
A thin slice, as of tissue, suitable for microscopic examination.
To separate or divide into parts.
To cut or divide tissue surgically.
[WWII Army; fr Section VIII, Army Regulation 615-360]