ENGLISH
REFERENCE

census

n. countable
C1 Advanced US //ˈsɛnsəs// UK //sˈɛnsəs// cen·sus Archaic

n. an official count of every person living in a country. Governments do this to collect information about the population, such as age, jobs, and where people live.

n. an official, systematic count or survey of a population, typically including the recording of various demographic data. Conducted at regular intervals by a central government for administrative and planning purposes.


SIMPLE

The government conducts a national census every ten years.

CONTEXTUAL

After the latest census, the city council decided to build two new schools to accommodate the growing population.

COMPLEX

Demographers rely on census data to track long-term shifts in urban density and to ensure that public resources are distributed equitably across different regions.

Origin

Borrowed from Latin cēnsus, from cēnseō. See censor.

Usage

Commonly used with the verbs 'conduct', 'take', or 'carry out'.

© 2026 English Reference