English Reference
adjective · noun

local

adj. · n.
US /ˈɫoʊkəɫ/ UK /lˈəʊkəl/ lo·cal UK spelling locals

  1. 01 A2 Elementary

    adj.relating to the particular area you are in or the area where you live.

    adj.pertaining to a particular area, neighbourhood, or town; restricted to a specific place.

    Simple

    We always try to buy local vegetables from the market down the street.

    In context

    The local council met last night to discuss the proposed changes to the town's parking regulations.

  2. 02 B2 Upper Intermediate Technical Computing

    adj.connected directly to your computer or accessible without using the internet.

    adj.relating to a computer or device that is directly accessible to a user, rather than one accessed via a network.

    Simple

    You should save a local copy of the file in case the internet goes down.

    In context

    The application stores user preferences in a local database to ensure the interface remains responsive during network outages.

  3. 03 B2 Upper Intermediate Technical Medicine

    adj.affecting only one part of the body.

    adj.affecting or involving only a restricted part of an organism or body.

    Simple

    The doctor gave her a local anaesthetic so she wouldn't feel the needle.

    In context

    The patient experienced a local reaction to the sting, characterized by redness and swelling confined to the site of the injury.

  4. 04 B1 Intermediate

    n.a person who lives in a particular area or town.

    n.an inhabitant of a particular area or neighbourhood.

    Simple

    The locals were very friendly and showed us the best places to eat.

    In context

    The new development was met with significant opposition from locals who feared it would destroy the village's character.

  5. 05 B1 Intermediate British EnglishInformal

    n.the pub or bar that is nearest to your home and where you go often.

    n.a person's nearest or most regularly frequented public house.

    Simple

    I'm just heading down to the local for a quick drink with my neighbours.

    In context

    After the football match, the entire team gathered at the local to celebrate their victory.

  6. 06 B2 Upper Intermediate

    n.a small, nearby branch of a large organisation like a workers' union.

    n.a local branch of a national or international organisation, especially a trade union.

    Simple

    The union local voted to go on strike after the talks failed.

    In context

    Representatives from the union local met with management to negotiate better safety protocols for the factory floor.

Usage local authorities · local time · local communities


From Middle English local, from Late Latin locālis (“belonging to a place”), possibly also via Old French local; ultimately from Latin locus (“a place”). The ring-theoretic senses derive from Krull, who first referred to Noetherian commutative rings with a unique maximal ideal as "Stellenring" (Stellen (“place”) + ring) in 1938. The term was inspired by algebraic geometry, where local rings encode information about the behavior of curves (surfaces, etc.) at points; hence, describe "local" behavior.

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

This entry
Origin Latin locus
Level A1 · Beginner
Frequency Very common
Updated