locus
Americannoun
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loci,
plural
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loca
plural
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a place; locality.
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a center or source, as of activities or power.
locus of control.
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Mathematics. the set of all points, lines, or surfaces that satisfy a given requirement.
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Genetics. the chromosomal position of a gene as determined by its linear order relative to the other genes on that chromosome.
noun
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(in many legal phrases) a place or area, esp the place where something occurred
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maths a set of points whose location satisfies or is determined by one or more specified conditions
the locus of points equidistant from a given point is a circle
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genetics the position of a particular gene on a chromosome
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loci
plural
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The set or configuration of all points whose coordinates satisfy a single equation or one or more algebraic conditions.
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The position that a given gene occupies on a chromosome.
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of locus
First recorded in 1525–35; from Latin; Old Latin stlocus “a place”
Explanation
The center or source of something is known as the locus. A shopping mall is usually a locus for teenagers. In addition to being a hub or hotspot, locus has specific meanings when used in math or science. In math, a locus is when a set of points all meet at a designated location: a circle is the locus of points equal in length from one given point. In genetics, the locus is the location of a certain gene on a chromosome. A locus is where things are happening. Washington, D.C. is the locus for politics in the U.S.
Vocabulary lists containing locus
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
To Tom Wolfe, New York City was the “billion-footed beast,” the locus of the country’s power, wealth and taste-making, and the ultimate quarry of any ambitious writer.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 19, 2026
The wake for Valle was another locus of infection, where all three of his daughters got sick.
From Barron's ● May 11, 2026
In early 2021, GameStop became the locus of a meme stock mania fueled by easy money.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 4, 2026
Tucked away in a quiet industrial park, the nondescript building had become the locus of ongoing protests since Bovino and his forces had arrived in Illinois.
From Salon ● Apr. 15, 2026
For us, the island had become the locus of the struggle.
From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela
Which is why the Olympic rink has been invaded by George Michael, the Backstreet Boys and enough Ricky Martin to turn Milan’s dolce vita into la vida loca.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 9, 2026
“We call it hora loca in Spanish. And we created a playlist of second movements of Mozart symphonies and that somehow is like a sedative. They always immediately relax.”
From Seattle Times ● Oct. 11, 2023
Are you ready to live la vida loca, bailando and pump that gasolina?
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 1, 2023
It continued at La Piazzetta, a restaurant within the resort, where the couple and their guests enjoyed a flamboyant hora loca, an hour full of dancing and appearances by costumed performers.
From New York Times ● Mar. 4, 2022
Luz and Milagro exchange a glance that says, “Oh no, not another loca in the family!” and refuse to ask anything.
From "Dreaming in Cuban" by Cristina García
Would Washingtonians rather live next to a structure that looks like a gigantic Martian spaceship or a work of beauty that reflects the genius loci, the spirit of the place?
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 20, 2026
They constructed a phylogeny of anglerfish using data from 1,092 genetic loci across 132 species, representing approximately 38% of described species, complemented by fossil calibrations and genomic data to estimate divergence times and ancestral habitats.
From Science Daily ● Dec. 2, 2024
They examined the X chromosome, which earlier studies did not do, and found five loci linked with PTSD.
From Science Daily ● Apr. 18, 2024
Their findings go beyond existing knowledge by mapping cell type and temporally specific genetic loci implicated in neuropsychiatric disorders.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 12, 2023
Encoded in that molecule were the loci of human perfectibility and vulnerability: once we learned to manipulate this chemical, we would rewrite our nature.
From "The Gene" by Siddhartha Mukherjee
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
