Census Definition & Meaning

American

British

Other Word Forms

Etymology

Examples

Related Words

Synonyms census American [sen-suhs] / ˈsɛn səs /

noun

plural

censuses

1. an official enumeration of the population, with details as to age, sex or gender, occupation, etc.

2. (in ancient Rome) the registration of citizens and their property, for purposes of taxation.

verb (used with object)

1. to take a census of (a country, city, etc.).

   The entire nation is censused every 10 years.

census British / ˈsɛnsəs /

noun

1. an official periodic count of a population including such information as sex, age, occupation, etc

2. any offical count

   a traffic census

3. (in ancient Rome) a registration of the population and a property evaluation for purposes of taxation

"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

Other Word Forms

• censual adjective
• precensus noun

Etymology

Origin of census

First recorded in 1605–15; from Latin: “a listing and property assessment of citizens,” equivalent to cēns(ēre) “to assess, register (citizens) in a census” + -tus suffix of verb action; for -s- in place of -st- censor

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

It said the funding had been allocated based on census data, reflecting where the greatest need was.

From BBC

The West Midlands has the largest concentration of people who identified as Sikh in England, according to the 2021 census.

From BBC

The 2016 referendum was viewed as a national test case after census data showed around a quarter of local properties were second homes.

From BBC

Normally, the redrawing of the country’s congressional districts takes place once every 10 years, following the census and accounting for population changes over the previous decade.

From Los Angeles Times

In California, the same census recorded only a few hundred Black farm operators statewide, among more than 60,000 farms.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• enumeration
• poll

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.