district
[dis-trikt]
- a division of territory, as of a country, state, or county, marked off for administrative, electoral, or other purposes.
- a region or locality: the theater district; the Lake District.
- British. a subdivision of a county or a town.
- the District, the District of Columbia; Washington, D.C.
Show More
- to divide into districts.
Show More
Origin of district
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Related Words
sectorcommuneneighborhoodlocalityparishregioncommunitydepartmentprecinctterritorysectionparcellocalevicinityturfwardquartervicinageExamples from the Web for district
Contemporary Examples
So, in an unusual order (PDF) issued on New Years Day, District Judge Robert Hinkle clarified the issue.
The Back Alley, Low Blow-Ridden Fight to Stop Gay Marriage in Florida Is Finally OverJay Michaelson
January 5, 2015
In the weeks following the Sept. 9, car bombing at the Iranian base, Iran raided a village in the Pakistani district of Chagai.
In January 2014, a lifelong District of Columbia parks employee, Medric Mills, collapsed while walking with his grown daughter.
“We do not know where he is,” District Attorney Risa Vetri Ferman told reporters.
Of course this is also very true with district attorneys and police officers.
Historical Examples
He found the district to the north to be a dreary waste, destitute of food and water.
Explorations in AustraliaJohn Forrest
It has also passed a model child-labor law for the District of Columbia.
Copies were also directed to be distributed through the district.
A Sketch of the Life of Brig. Gen. Francis MarionWilliam Dobein James
Do you, Mr. District Attorney, whose business it is to send girls there?
Within the LawMarvin Dana
But the District Attorney was not inclined to credit the confession.
Within the LawMarvin Dana
district
- an area of land marked off for administrative or other purposes
- (as modifier)district nurse
- a locality separated by geographical attributes; region
- any subdivision of any territory, region, etc
- (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, etcSee also metropolitan district
- (in Scotland until 1975) a landward division of a county
- (in Scotland 1975–96) any of the subdivisions of the regions that elected a council responsible for environmental health services, housing, etc
- any of the 26 areas into which Northern Ireland has been divided since 1973. Elected district councils are responsible for environmental health services, etc
Show More
- (tr) to divide into districts
Show More
Word Origin
C17: from Medieval Latin districtus area of jurisdiction, from Latin distringere to stretch out; see distrain
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
Word Origin and History for district
n.
1610s, "territory under the jurisdiction of a lord or officer," from French district (16c.), from Medieval Latin districtus "restraining of offenders, jurisdiction," then under the feudal system "area of jurisdiction," noun use of past participle of Latin distringere "hinder, detain" (see distress). Used vaguely of "any tract of land" from 1712. District attorney attested by 1789, American English.
Show More
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper