precinct

[pree-singkt]

See more synonyms for precinct on Thesaurus.com

noun

a district, as of a city, marked out for governmental or administrative purposes, or for police protection.
Also called precinct house. the police station in such a district.
Also called election district. one of a fixed number of districts, each containing one polling place, into which a city, town, etc., is divided for voting purposes.

a space or place of definite or understood limits.
Often precincts. an enclosing boundary or limit.
precincts, the parts or regions immediately surrounding a place; environs: the precincts of a town.
Chiefly British. the ground immediately surrounding a church, temple, or the like.
a walled or otherwise bounded or limited space within which a building or place is situated.

Origin of precinct

1350–1400; Middle English < Medieval Latin praecinctum, noun use of neuter of Latin praecinctus, past participle of praecingere to gird about, surround, equivalent to prae- pre- + cing- (stem of cingere to surround; cf. cinch¹) + -tus past participle suffix

Synonyms for precinct

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1. ward. 4. territory. 8. compound.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Related Words for precinct

ward, neighborhood, district, province, development, zone, area, division, section, community, tract, department, quarter

Examples from the Web for precinct

Contemporary Examples of precinct

Buses filled with cops from the 84th Precinct, where Liu had worked.
Funeral Protest Is Too Much for NYPD Union Boss
Michael Daly
January 5, 2015
In an effort to gain early attention, he focused his attention on the Iowa precinct caucuses, which had never mattered much.
The World’s Toughest Political Quiz
Jeff Greenfield
December 31, 2014
Bratton now announced that he was appointing Ramos an honorary chaplain at the 84th Precinct where he was assigned.
Choking Back Tears, Thousands of Cops Honor Fallen Officer Ramos
Michael Daly
December 28, 2014
Ballinger was at first speechless when asked about the 75 Precinct reception.
Protesters Demand Justice For Gurley As Gap Grows Between Cops and NYC
M.L. Nestel
December 28, 2014
His most recent assignment was the 84th Precinct, at the Brooklyn end of the Brooklyn Bridge.
In The Shadow of Murdered Cops
Michael Daly
December 26, 2014

Historical Examples of precinct

On one of these nights the Captain of the Precinct was present in plain clothes.
The Underdog
F. Hopkinson Smith
While they hold office, they shall dwell within the precinct of the God.
Laws
Plato
The temple, it is true, often stood within some sort of precinct, but it was accessible to all.
Architecture
Thomas Roger Smith
Hundreds of precinct meetings were held during the whole summer.
The History of Woman Suffrage, Volume IV
Various
It was not a legal duty, for law had not yet penetrated into the precinct of the Family.
Ancient Law
Sir Henry James Sumner Maine

British Dictionary definitions for precinct

precinct

noun

1. an enclosed area or building marked by a fixed boundary such as a wall
2. such a boundary
an area in a town, often closed to traffic, that is designed or reserved for a particular purposea shopping precinct; pedestrian precinct
US
1. a district of a city for administrative or police purposes
2. the police responsible for such a district
US a polling or electoral district

Word Origin for precinct

C15: from Medieval Latin praecinctum (something) surrounded, from Latin praecingere to gird around, from prae before, around + cingere to gird

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 precinct

c.1400, prasaynt (mid-15c. as precincte), "district defined for purposes of government or representation," from Medieval Latin precinctum "enclosure, boundary line," noun use of neuter past participle of Latin praecingere "to gird about, surround," from prae- "before" (see pre-) + cingere "to surround, encircle" (see cinch (v.)).