precinct

American  

[pree-singkt] / ˈpri sɪŋkt /

noun

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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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; cinch ¹ ) + -tus past participle suffix

Example Sentences

“Libertad, libertad,” shouted hundreds of demonstrators as they faced off against police outside the precinct in Morón, a city of about 70,000 near Cuba’s northeastern coast.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 15, 2026

This process created a rare island of higher ground in what is now the east/south-east section of the temple precinct.

From Science Daily • Jan. 4, 2026

Sunday in front of 156 West 38 St. in the Midtown South precinct.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 17, 2025

Ultimately, the precinct has the vote totals, and it always matches the total number of voters for that day.

From Slate • Aug. 26, 2025

Forlornly, Patrolman Mancuso had put on the tights before the sergeant, who had pushed him out of the precinct and told him to shape up or get off the force.

From "A Confederacy of Dunces" by John Kennedy Toole

Related Words

• district
• neighborhood
• ward