English Reference
noun

locality

n.
US /ɫoʊˈkæɫəti/ UK /ləʊkˈælɪti/ lo·cal·i·ty UK spelling localities, locality's

  1. 01 B2 Upper Intermediate Formal

    a particular area, district, or neighborhood where people live or work.

    a specific geographic area or district, often considered in terms of its social or physical characteristics.

    Simple

    The police are searching for the suspect in the immediate locality.

    In context

    The value of the property is largely determined by the amenities available within the immediate locality, such as schools and public transport.

  2. 02 C1 Advanced FormalTechnical

    the specific place where something is located.

    the state or quality of having a position in space, or the specific site of an object or event.

    Simple

    The exact locality of the ancient ruins was kept secret to prevent looting.

    In context

    Researchers mapped the locality of each rare plant species to better understand the microclimates of the valley.

  3. 03 C2 Proficiency Technical Computing

    the tendency of things to happen or stay near each other.

    the principle that a process or object only interacts with its immediate surroundings, or the tendency of a processor to access the same memory locations repeatedly.

    Simple

    The software runs faster because it takes advantage of data locality.

    In context

    Optimizing for locality of reference ensures that the CPU can retrieve data from the cache rather than slower main memory.

    Usage

    Often used in the phrase 'locality of reference' in computer science.

Twenty-seven former rebels are being deployed as community mobilisers in the Tchomia locality of Ituri Province to promote behaviours that prevent the spread of the deadly virus.

UN News· 15 Aug 2026

Some 400 beds have been added in facilities in various localities over the past two weeks.

UN News· 18 Aug 2026

From French localité, from Late Latin localitas, equivalent to local + -ity.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Origin la-lat -
Level C1 · Advanced
Frequency Frequent
Updated