census

[ sen-suh s ]

/ ˈsɛn səs /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR census ON THESAURUS.COM

noun, plural cen·sus·es.

an official enumeration of the population, with details as to age, sex, occupation, etc.

(in ancient Rome) the registration of citizens and their property, for purposes of taxation.

verb (used with object)

to take a census of (a country, city, etc.): The entire nation is censused every 10 years.

Nearby words

censoriously, censorship, censual, censurable, censure, census, census taker, census tract, cent, cent sign, cent-

Origin of census

1605–15; < Latin: a listing and property assessment of citizens, equivalent to cēns(ēre) to assess, register (citizens) in a census + -tus suffix of v. action; for -s- in place of -st- see censor

Related forms

cen·su·al

[sen-shoo-uh l] /ˈsɛn ʃu əl/, adjectivepre·cen·sus, noun

Can be confused

census consensus (see usage note at consensus)

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for census

Every 10 years, after the Census, legislators get together and draw district lines in collusion.
Hate Hyper-Partisanship? Support Redistricting Reform Now|John Avlon|November 3, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Byrne invented a deceased husband named William K. Richard and hid herself from census takers.
Wonder Woman’s Creation Story Is Wilder Than You Could Ever Imagine|Tom Arnold-Forster|November 3, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Just 0.5 percent of Ferguson is of Asian descent, according to 2010 U.S. Census data.
Ferguson's Other Race Problem: Riots Damaged Asian-Owned Stores|Tim Mak|August 20, 2014|DAILY BEAST
According to the Census Bureau, 49 percent of Americans receive some kind of government benefits.
Up To A Point: My Problem With People Who Agree With Me|P. J. O’Rourke|July 20, 2014|DAILY BEAST

The figure aligns with 2012 U.S. Census findings, and an estimate that one in five New York City children struggle to afford food.
Now It’s North Korea’s Turn to List U.S. Human Rights Abuses|Nina Strochlic|May 3, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The diminution of population in Ireland revealed by the 1901 Census amounted to 245,000 persons.
Home Rule|Harold Spender
The census, a matter commenced on the preceding year, is completed.
The History of Rome, Books 01 to 08|Titus Livius
At the census of 1891 they were believed to number about 60,000, exclusive of those in the unexplored parts.
The New Gresham Encyclopedia. Vol. 1 Part 3|Various
The commissioners for the 1841 census consulted him on several points, but did not in every case follow his advice.
Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 10, Slice 2|Various
At the census of 1901 there were 1084 parishes, and the clergy numbered 3711.
Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 14, Slice 7|Various

British Dictionary definitions for census

census

/ (ˈsɛnsəs) /

noun plural -suses

an official periodic count of a population including such information as sex, age, occupation, etc

any offical counta traffic census

(in ancient Rome) a registration of the population and a property evaluation for purposes of taxation

Derived Forms

censual, adjective

Word Origin for census

C17: from Latin, from cēnsēre to assess

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

census

noun, plural cen·sus·es.

verb (used with object)

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RELATED WORDS

Nearby words

Origin of census

Related forms

Can be confused

Examples from the Web for census

British Dictionary definitions for census

census

noun plural -suses

Derived Forms

Word Origin for census