precinct

American  

[pree-singkt] / ˈpri sɪŋkt /

noun

1. a district, as of a city, marked out for governmental or administrative purposes, or for police protection.

   Synonyms:

   ward

2. Also called precinct house.  the police station in such a district.

3. Also called election district.  one of a fixed number of districts, each containing one polling place, into which a city, town, etc., is divided for voting purposes.

4. a space or place of definite or understood limits.

   Synonyms:

   territory

5. Often precincts. an enclosing boundary or limit.

6. precincts, the parts or regions immediately surrounding a place; environs.

   the precincts of a town.

7. Chiefly British. the ground immediately surrounding a church, temple, or the like.

8. a walled or otherwise bounded or limited space within which a building or place is situated.

   Synonyms:

   compound

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precinct British  

/ ˈpriːsɪŋkt /

noun

1. 1. an enclosed area or building marked by a fixed boundary such as a wall

   2. such a boundary

2. an area in a town, often closed to traffic, that is designed or reserved for a particular purpose

   a shopping precinct

   pedestrian precinct

3. 1. a district of a city for administrative or police purposes

   2. the police responsible for such a district

4. a polling or electoral district

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Etymology

Origin of precinct

1350–1400; Middle English < Medieval Latin praecinctum, noun use of neuter of Latin praecinctus, past participle of praecingere to gird about, surround, equivalent to prae- pre- + cing- (stem of cingere to surround; cinch ¹ ) + -tus past participle suffix

Example Sentences

Australia is investing billions of dollars in the base and a maintenance precinct nearby.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 8, 2026

This process created a rare island of higher ground in what is now the east/south-east section of the temple precinct.

From Science Daily • Jan. 4, 2026

Sunday in front of 156 West 38 St. in the Midtown South precinct.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 17, 2025

It reflected an age when urban machine politicians—Republicans and Democrats—would send party loyalists from one polling station to another, pretending to be a voter in each precinct.

From Slate • Aug. 26, 2025

And then that night, in the precinct, you panicked.

From "Burning Blue" by Paul Griffin

Related Words

• district
• neighborhood
• ward