locate
- 01 B1 Intermediate
to find the exact position of something or someone.
to discover or determine the precise location or position of an entity.
Simple“The rescue team used a drone to locate the missing hikers in the forest.”
In context“Archaeologists used ground-penetrating radar to locate the foundations of the ancient villa without disturbing the topsoil.”
UsageOften used in passive constructions or with 'can' to indicate the ability to find something.
SynonymsAntonymslosemisplace - 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
to put or build something in a particular area.
to establish or settle something in a particular place; often used in business contexts regarding facilities.
Simple“The company decided to locate its new office near the train station.”
In context“The government intends to locate the new research facility in a region with high unemployment to stimulate the local economy.”
UsageFrequently appears in the passive voice as 'be located in/at'.
- 03 C1 Advanced
to move to a new place to live or do business.
to take up residence or establish a place of business in a new area.
Simple“After the war, the family decided to locate in a small town out west.”
In context“Many tech startups choose to locate in the downtown district to remain close to venture capital firms and talent pools.”
Teacher's tipIn modern British English, 'relocate' is much more common for this sense; 'locate' as an intransitive verb for moving is largely North American.
Usage located at the bottom · centrally locate · locate in
Borrowed from Latin locātus, perfect passive participle of locō (“to place”) (see -ate (verb-forming suffix)), from locus (“place”) + -ō (verb-forming suffix). Cognate with French louer; see also local and lieu.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.