local

[loh-kuhl]

adjective

1. pertaining to or characterized by place or position in space; spatial.

2. pertaining to, characteristic of, or restricted to a particular place or particular places.

   a local custom.

3. pertaining to a city, town, or small district rather than an entire state or country.

   local transportation.

4. stopping at most or all stations.

   a local train.

5. pertaining to or affecting a particular part or particular parts, as of a physical system or organism.

   a local disease.

6. Medicine/Medical.,  (of anesthesia or an anesthetic) affecting only a particular part or area of the body, without concomitant loss of consciousness, as distinguished from general anesthesia.

noun

1. a local train, bus, etc.

2. a newspaper item of local interest.

3. a local branch of a union, fraternity, etc.

4. a local anesthetic.

5. Often locals.

   1. a local person or resident.

      primarily of interest to locals.

   2. a local athletic team.

      the locals versus the state champions.

6. stamp.

7. British Informal.,  a neighborhood pub.

verb (used without object)

1. Informal.,  to travel by or take a local train or the like.

local

/ ˈləʊkəl /

adjective

1. characteristic of or associated with a particular locality or area

2. of, concerned with, or relating to a particular place or point in space

3. med of, affecting, or confined to a limited area or part Compare general systemic

4. (of a train, bus, etc) stopping at all stations or stops

noun

1. a train, bus, etc, that stops at all stations or stops

2. an inhabitant of a specified locality

3. informal,  a pub close to one's home or place of work

4. med short for local anaesthetic

5. an item of local interest in a newspaper

6. a local or regional branch of an association

7. a telephone extension

Other Word Forms

• localness noun
• interlocal adjective
• interlocally adverb
• nonlocal adjective
• nonlocally adverb
• superlocal adjective
• superlocally adverb
• unlocal adjective
• unlocally adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of local¹

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English word from Late Latin word locālis. See locus, -al ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of local¹

C15: via Old French from Late Latin locālis, from Latin locus place, _locus

Example Sentences

“That was pretty much all the validation that we really needed to understand how powerful this is, getting homes prepared in our local community, because you can only do so much during an actual incident.”

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Nearby, others told the BBC of a local pharmacy being looted in Black River, describing anarchy as people ran in and out carrying armfuls of drugs and alcohol.

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Pollokshields has seen disorder on Bonfire Night in recent years, with locals describing how groups of hooded young men roamed the streets firing large fireworks at buildings, cars and people.

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"If I had foreseen the risk, I would have closed the hotel myself," he told the hearing which took place inside a specially constructed court room at a local school.

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I bonds offer tax advantages, including deferred federal tax on interest and exemption from state and local income taxes.

Read more on Barron's

Related Words

• provincial 
• regional