unit vector

This term is a technical specification used almost exclusively in mathematics, physics, and computer graphics. It describes a vector whose sole purpose is to define a direction without affecting the scale of other values during multiplication. It is often referred to as a normalized vector, as the process of dividing a vector by its own magnitude is called normalization.

In a practical coordinate system, unit vectors are typically denoted by symbols with hats (e.g., î, ĵ, k̂) to distinguish them from standard vectors. Because it is a compound noun consisting of a modifier and a head noun, it follows standard English pluralization rules for the word vector.