district

[dis-trikt]

noun

1. a division of territory, as of a country, state, or county, marked off for administrative, electoral, or other purposes.

2. a region or locality.

   the theater district; the Lake District.

3. British.,  a subdivision of a county or a town.

4. the District, the District of Columbia; Washington, D.C.

verb (used with object)

1. to divide into districts.

district

/ ˈdɪstrɪkt /

noun

1. 1. an area of land marked off for administrative or other purposes

   2. ( as modifier )

      district nurse

2. a locality separated by geographical attributes; region

3. any subdivision of any territory, region, etc

4. (in England from 1974 and in Wales 1974–96) any of the subdivisions of the nonmetropolitan counties that elects a council responsible for local planning, housing, rates, etc See also metropolitan district

5. (in Scotland until 1975) a landward division of a county

6. (in Scotland 1975–96) any of the subdivisions of the regions that elected a council responsible for environmental health services, housing, etc

7. any of the 26 areas into which Northern Ireland has been divided since 1973. Elected district councils are responsible for environmental health services, etc

verb

1. (tr) to divide into districts

Other Word Forms

• interdistrict adjective
• outdistrict noun
• predistrict noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of district¹

First recorded in 1605–15; from French, from Medieval Latin distrīctus “exercise of justice, restraining of offenders,” derivative of Latin distringere “to stretch out; detain, occupy,” equivalent to di- suffix of separation + strig- (base of stringere “to bind, tie”) + -tus suffix of verbal action; distrain, di- ²

Word History and Origins

Origin of district¹

C17: from Medieval Latin districtus area of jurisdiction, from Latin distringere to stretch out; see _distrain

Example Sentences

Hernandez, whose district includes part of the Eastside, said council members remain open to the idea of the Convention Center expansion as the project heads to a final vote.

From Los Angeles Times

If passed, Proposition 50 would gerrymander the state’s congressional districts to favor Democrats, bolstering the fates of several Democrats in vulnerable swing districts and potentially cost Republicans up to five House seats.

From Los Angeles Times

School district officials are investigating after a Villa Park High teacher allegedly removed and threw away a student memorial to slain conservative activist Charlie Kirk from the front of the Orange County campus.

From Los Angeles Times

The former deputy district attorney also alleges she initially decided not to report her treatment out of fear she’d be targeted.

From Los Angeles Times

A spokesman for the district attorney’s office was not immediately available for comment.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• commune 
• community 
• department 
• locality 
• neighborhood 
• parish 
• precinct 
• region 
• section 
• sector 
• territory