precinct

American  

[pree-singkt] / ˈpri sɪŋkt /

noun

• precincts
  plural

1. a district, as of a city, marked out for governmental or administrative purposes, or for police protection.

   Synonyms:

   ward

2. Also called precinct house.  the police station in such a district.

3. 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.

4. a space or place of definite or understood limits.

   Synonyms:

   territory

5. Often precincts. an enclosing boundary or limit.

6. precincts, the parts or regions immediately surrounding a place; environs.

   the precincts of a town.

7. Chiefly British. the ground immediately surrounding a church, temple, or the like.

8. a walled or otherwise bounded or limited space within which a building or place is situated.

   Synonyms:

   compound

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precinct British  

/ ˈpriːsɪŋkt /

noun

1. 1. an enclosed area or building marked by a fixed boundary such as a wall

   2. such a boundary

2. an area in a town, often closed to traffic, that is designed or reserved for a particular purpose

   a shopping precinct

   pedestrian precinct

3. 1. a district of a city for administrative or police purposes

   2. the police responsible for such a district

4. a polling or electoral district

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• precincts
  plural

Etymology

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. cinch ¹) + -tus past participle suffix

Explanation

A precinct is an area of town marked off for official purposes, often to vote, or to organize the police force. When a cop hears of a crime that's happening in her precinct, she knows to hop in her car and head over there. The word precinct comes from the Latin precinctum meaning "enclosure, boundary line." A precinct is an area that has a clear boundary line around it, making it easier for the police to know where a crime is taking place, or where you should go to vote. The word precinct has also come to mean police headquarters in a particular district. If you're being held at the precinct, you're at the police station local to where you committed your crime.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

precinct precincts

Long walked into the 10th Street precinct carrying a copy of the newspaper and, after four hours of interviews, was sent home.

From Slate ● Jul. 7, 2026

He also falsely said Raman was “winning Skid Row” as he showed a precinct level map of results in and around downtown Los Angeles.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 12, 2026

Bass and Raman also split a downtown Los Angeles precinct with 199 votes each, though Raman carried much of the rest of downtown, which Bass won in 2022.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 6, 2026

In the shopping precinct, the glass door of the convenience store is shattered.

From BBC ● May 20, 2026

“Well, sure,” Gladys called, hurrying out of the precinct yard, her shoulder bag bursting with black speeding tickets.

From "A Confederacy of Dunces" by John Kennedy Toole

And he is attentive to the hardships of these people’s lives, from the scant public transit options in America’s rural precincts to the need for supportive housing.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 13, 2026

Another shopper, Martin, says he's "very concerned" whenever he sees them racing through precincts: "An accident's almost inevitable."

From BBC ● Jul. 22, 2026

Outdoor spaces present particular challenges, including keeping instruments tuned in mercurial weather and the quirks associated with amplifying music to an al fresco venue’s distant precincts.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 7, 2026

If we want hope, we must count on the volunteers of both parties in precincts all over the country who will be working the elections to ensure an honest outcome.

From Salon ● Jun. 26, 2026

Hush Puppies took off because they were being worn by kids in the cutting-edge precincts of the East Village — an environment that helped others to look at the shoes in a new light.

From "The Tipping Point" by Malcolm Gladwell

Related Words

• district
• neighborhood
• ward