precinct
Americannoun
-
a district, as of a city, marked out for governmental or administrative purposes, or for police protection.
- Synonyms:
- ward
-
Also called precinct house. the police station in such a district.
-
Also called election district. one of a fixed number of districts, each containing one polling place, into which a city, town, etc., is divided for voting purposes.
-
a space or place of definite or understood limits.
- Synonyms:
- territory
-
Often precincts. an enclosing boundary or limit.
-
precincts, the parts or regions immediately surrounding a place; environs.
the precincts of a town.
-
Chiefly British. the ground immediately surrounding a church, temple, or the like.
-
a walled or otherwise bounded or limited space within which a building or place is situated.
- Synonyms:
- compound
noun
-
-
an enclosed area or building marked by a fixed boundary such as a wall
-
such a boundary
-
-
an area in a town, often closed to traffic, that is designed or reserved for a particular purpose
a shopping precinct
pedestrian precinct
-
-
a district of a city for administrative or police purposes
-
the police responsible for such a district
-
-
a polling or electoral district
Etymology
Origin of precinct
1350–1400; Middle English < Medieval Latin praecinctum, noun use of neuter of Latin praecinctus, past participle of praecingere to gird about, surround, equivalent to prae- pre- + cing- (stem of cingere to surround; cf. cinch 1) + -tus past participle suffix
Explanation
A precinct is an area of town marked off for official purposes, often to vote, or to organize the police force. When a cop hears of a crime that's happening in her precinct, she knows to hop in her car and head over there. The word precinct comes from the Latin precinctum meaning "enclosure, boundary line." A precinct is an area that has a clear boundary line around it, making it easier for the police to know where a crime is taking place, or where you should go to vote. The word precinct has also come to mean police headquarters in a particular district. If you're being held at the precinct, you're at the police station local to where you committed your crime.
Vocabulary lists containing precinct
Electoral Elocution: The Verbiage of Voting
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
This Week In Words: Current Events Vocab for October 10–16, 2020
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
This Week In Words: February 29–March 6, 2020
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The precinct level data he used, however, was preliminary.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 12, 2026
Bass and Raman also split a downtown Los Angeles precinct with 199 votes each, though Raman carried much of the rest of downtown, which Bass won in 2022.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 6, 2026
She also dominated the Westwood precinct that includes UCLA, winning 56% of the vote in one precinct, compared with Bass’ 19% and Pratt’s 10%.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 6, 2026
As the local school finishes for the day, scores of youngsters fill the shopping precinct.
From BBC • May 20, 2026
The cops from the precinct, in memory of the capture of the murderer, sent a cross of red roses.
From "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn" by Betty Smith
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
