location

American  

[loh-key-shuhn] / loʊˈkeɪ ʃən /

noun

1. a place of settlement, activity, or residence.

   This town is a good location for a young doctor.

2. a place or situation occupied.

   a house in a fine location.

3. a tract of land of designated situation or limits.

   a mining location.

4. Movies. a place outside of the studio that is used for filming a movie, scene, etc.

5. Computers. any position on a register or memory device capable of storing one machine word.

6. the act of locating; state of being located.

7. Civil Law. a letting or renting.

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idioms

1. on location, engaged in filming at a place away from the studio, especially one that is or is like the setting of the screenplay.

   on location in Rome.

location British  

/ ləʊˈkeɪʃən /

noun

1. a site or position; situation

2. the act or process of locating or the state of being located

3. a place outside a studio where filming is done

   shot on location

4. 1. a Black African or Coloured township, usually located near a small town See also township

   2. (formerly) an African tribal reserve

5. computing a position in a memory capable of holding a unit of information, such as a word, and identified by its address

6. Roman law Scots law the letting out on hire of a chattel or of personal services

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Other Word Forms

• interlocation noun
• locational adjective
• locationally adverb
• nonlocation noun

Etymology

Origin of location

First recorded in 1585–95; from Latin locātiōn-, stem of locātiō “arrangement, rental,” in Late Latin: “placement,” equivalent to locate + -ion

Example Sentences

Alcatraz, which opened as a federal penitentiary in 1934, was once considered among the most secure prisons in the United States due to its isolated island location and the strong currents surrounding it.

From Barron's • Apr. 3, 2026

After having to stall the opening because of last year’s fires, this retail location demonstrates the continued resilience of the L.A. community as they continue to fundraise and support local fire recovery efforts.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 3, 2026

A small team would be needed to extract the uranium, assuming it could be found in a single location.

From Salon • Apr. 3, 2026

When two distinct cancer markers are present on a cell, the DNA components attach to them and assemble at that exact location.

From Science Daily • Apr. 2, 2026

He walked along crowded Moscow streets, slipping in and out of stores, dry-cleaning himself on the way to the dead-drop location.

From "Fallout: Spies, Superbombs, and the Ultimate Cold War Showdown" by Steve Sheinkin

Related Words

• area
• district
• locale
• neighborhood
• part
• point
• position
• region
• scene
• section
• site
• situation
• spot
• station
• venue
• whereabouts