ˈcross-ˌsection BrE AmE noun [countable]
1 . something that has been cut in half so that you can look at the inside, or a drawing of this
cross-section of
a cross-section of a plant stem
in cross-section
The roof beams were 50 centimetres square in cross-section.
2 . a group of people or things that is typical of a much larger group ⇨ sample
cross-section of
a wide cross-section of the taxpaying population