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As I understand the octadic is 8 of something.

In relation to sections, what would be a single section called in the octadic?

The comparison I draw from is the quartile, each 'section' being a quarter.

Is there a similar case for the octadic?

To further explain, what would a shaded section in this picture be referred to as? For a quarter, I would refer to this area as a quartile.

image of circle divided into eight

Edit: I am aware it may be possible (maybe not) to use 'the eighth'. However, it just doesn't feel correct.

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    Could you tell me where you found your definition of octennial? Because the normal definition of octennial means that a single "section" in an octennial is called a year.
    – oerkelens
    May 8, 2014 at 13:28
  • But in general, on eighth part of a whole is called one eighth. A quartile is a quarter, a quarter is not part of a quartile. If you have a collection of eight items, each part is an item. I suggest you edit your question to clarify what you are actually asking for :)
    – oerkelens
    May 8, 2014 at 13:31
  • @oerkelens you are correct my mistake this should have been " octadic
    – Pogrindis
    May 8, 2014 at 13:31
  • My dictionary agrees with @oerkelens': an octennial is a set of eight years. I think the word you're after is an octet: "A group of eight people or things".
    – 568ml
    May 8, 2014 at 13:32
  • But one part of a set of eight is one, or is my math so wrong now?
    – oerkelens
    May 8, 2014 at 13:32

5 Answers 5

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With your picture, I wonder if octile is not simply what you are looking for?

Quarter => quartile
Eighth => octile
Tenth => decile
Hundredth => percentile

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  • I will use it anyway.. its purely for code commenting on an array.. Much appreciated !
    – Pogrindis
    May 8, 2014 at 13:47
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For the specific diagram you give, an eighth-part is an octant, using the following senses of the word.

  1. The eighth part of a circle; an arc of 45 degrees.
  2. (geometry): The eighth part of a disc; a sector of 45 degrees; half a quadrant.

A fourth of the diagram is a quadrant, in the sense “One fourth of a circle or disc; a sector with an angle of 90°”. (More commonly, quadrant has the sense “One of the four sections made by dividing an area with two perpendicular lines” or of being one of the regions of the Cartesian plane that are bounded by the x-axis and y-axis; the “first quadrant” being the region where x>0, y>0; “second quadrant” where x>0, y<0; etc.)

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  • You hit the nail on the head for the use case. Thank you for such a concise answer.
    – Pogrindis
    May 8, 2014 at 19:25
  • +1, "octant" is the term I've seen used in context where such a term is needed (e.g. with various line drawing algorithms, where the first step is often determining which octant the direction of the line falls in).
    – Ilmari Karonen
    May 8, 2014 at 21:50
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A single section of 8 would be an eighth (notice the extra "H" at the end):

eighth [eytth, eyth]

adjective

  1. next after the seventh.
  2. being one of eight equal parts. noun
  3. an eighth part, especially of one (⅛).

But as oerkelens says, a single of an Octennial is a year.

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    This makes perfect logical sense, i was just hoping for a fancier word i suppose! Thank You!
    – Pogrindis
    May 8, 2014 at 13:37
  • "a single of an Octennial is a year". This doesn't make sense to me. If you have AN Octennial, it's singular. There is only one Octennial. A year then would be one eighth Octennials and is not singular anymore(with respect to Octennials). Years are also Octiles of Octennials.
    – Cruncher
    May 8, 2014 at 17:40
  • There's two meanings of Octennial. One is something with recurs every eight years, and the second meaning is something which lasts eight years. One eighth of the second definition would be a year.
    – Ronan
    May 9, 2014 at 8:37
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Suboctuple: Sub*oc"tave\, Suboctuple \Sub*oc"tu*ple\, a. Containing one part of eight; having the ratio of one to eight. --Bp. Wilkins.

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Singleton: A single object, especially one of a group.

This definition has the added benefit of not being tied to the number eight. For instance, it works equally well as a single item belonging to a group of 27 items.

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