Word
precinct
US/ˈpɹiˌsɪŋk/
UK/pɹˈiːsɪŋkt/
Definitions
01police district
B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun Law American English
n. a specific area of a city that a particular police station is responsible for.
n. a subdivision of a city under the jurisdiction of a specific police force; also refers to the station house itself.
“The officers spent the whole afternoon patrolling the busy streets of the 15th precinct.”
“Detectives from the neighboring precinct were called in to assist with the investigation due to their expertise in local gang activity.”
Usage
Often used with a number to identify a specific station or area.
02shopping area
B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun British English
n. a part of a town where cars are not allowed and people go to shop.
n. a pedestrianised urban area, typically containing a concentration of retail outlets.
“The city center has a large shopping precinct with plenty of benches and fountains.”
“The local council's redevelopment plan involves transforming the derelict market square into a modern, glass-roofed shopping precinct.”
Synonyms
03voting district
C1 · Advanced Countable noun American English · Formal
n. the smallest area used for organizing elections and voting.
n. the smallest electoral subdivision of a city or county, used for the administration of voting and representation.
“You must go to the correct polling place for your precinct to cast your vote.”
“The redistricting committee faced criticism for redrawing precinct boundaries in a way that appeared to favor the incumbent candidate.”
04enclosed area
C1 · Advanced Plural noun Formal
n. the space inside the walls or boundaries of a specific place, like a cathedral.
n. the space within the defined limits or walls of a particular building or place, often of a religious or official nature.
“Visitors are asked to remain quiet while walking within the cathedral precincts.”
“The university's historic precinct is protected by strict heritage laws that prevent any modern structural modifications to the original stone walls.”
Real-World Examples
“This stop will allow residents, workers, tourists and performers to travel to and from Walsh Bay via our beautiful harbour, providing a much-needed public transport connection to this important arts and cultural precinct.” “The government also said some future precinct works – to transform the areas around the new stations into housing hubs – will be scaled back.” Etymology
From Middle English precinct, precincte, early 15th century, in sense of “district for government purposes”, from Medieval Latin precinctum, alternative form of praecinctum (“enclosure, boundary line”), neuter singular of praecinctus, perfect passive participle of Latin praecingō (“surround, gird”), from prae (“before”) + cingō (“surround, encircle”), from which also cinch. Cognate to Italian precingere (“to encircle”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/precinct