noun · 7 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
Received-Pronunciation:/ˈləʊkəs/
Southern-England:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
General-American:/ˈloʊkəs/
rhymes with -əʊkəs
CMU ARPABET:L OW1 K AH0 S
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
noun
Meaning 1
A place or locality, especially a centre of activity or the scene of a crime.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
The cafeteria was the locus of activity.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
noun
Meaning 2
The set of all points whose coordinates satisfy a given equation or condition.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Topics: mathematics, sciences
Examples
A circle is the locus of points from which the distance to the center is a given value, the radius.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
noun
Meaning 3
A fixed position on a string of DNA or RNA, especially a chromosome, that may be occupied by one or more genes.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
A passage in writing, especially in a collection of ancient sacred writings arranged according to a theme.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: in-plural
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
5
noun
Meaning 5
the set of all points or lines that satisfy or are determined by specific conditions
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
the locus of points equidistant from a given point is a circle
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: set
6
noun
Meaning 6
the specific site of a particular gene on its chromosome
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: site, situation
7
noun
Meaning 7
the scene of any event or action (especially the place of a meeting)
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: venue, locale
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: scene
History
Etymology
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *stel-der. Proto-Italic *stlokos? Old Latin stlocus Latin locuslbor. English locus Learned borrowing from Latin locus. Doublet of lieu.
Across languages
Translations
55 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Bulgarian:
място
(mjasto)
— place or locality
Bulgarian:
местоположение
(mestopoloženie)
— place or locality
Czech:
místo
— place or locality
Danish:
plads
— place or locality
Danish:
lokalitet
— place or locality
Dutch:
plaats
— place or locality
Dutch:
localiteit
— place or locality
Finnish:
tapahtumapaikka
— place or locality
Finnish:
paikka
— place or locality
Finnish:
sija
— place or locality
Finnish:
sijainti
— place or locality
French:
lieu
— place or locality
French:
endroit
— place or locality
French:
local
— place or locality
German:
Ort
— place or locality
Greek:
τόπος
(tópos)
— place or locality
Hungarian:
hely
— place or locality
Hungarian:
helyszín
— place or locality
Hungarian:
színhely
— place or locality
Hungarian:
fekvés
— place or locality
Hungarian:
elhelyezkedés
— place or locality
Latin:
locus
— place or locality
Occitan:
lòc
— place or locality
Portuguese:
lugar
— place or locality
Portuguese:
sítio
— place or locality
Romanian:
localitate
— place or locality
Romanian:
loc
— place or locality
Romanian:
locuri
— place or locality
Serbo-Croatian:
mesto (mjesto)
— place or locality
Serbo-Croatian:
lokalitet
— place or locality
Slovak:
miesto
— place or locality
Spanish:
locus
— place or locality
Chinese Mandarin:
轨迹
(guǐjì)
— set of all points given by an equation or condition
Dutch:
meetkundige plaats
— set of all points given by an equation or condition
Finnish:
ura
— set of all points given by an equation or condition
French:
lieu
— set of all points given by an equation or condition
Greek:
τόπος
(tópos)
— set of all points given by an equation or condition
Hungarian:
mértani hely
— set of all points given by an equation or condition
Hungarian:
helygörbe
— set of all points given by an equation or condition
Hungarian:
mozgásdiagram
— set of all points given by an equation or condition
Indonesian:
lokus
— set of all points given by an equation or condition
Japanese:
軌跡
(kiseki)
— set of all points given by an equation or condition
Occitan:
lòc
— set of all points given by an equation or condition
Finnish:
lokus
— portion of a DNA or RNA string
French:
locus
— portion of a DNA or RNA string
Hungarian:
lokusz
— portion of a DNA or RNA string
Hungarian:
génhely
— portion of a DNA or RNA string
Hungarian:
lókusz
— portion of a DNA or RNA string
Indonesian:
lokus
— portion of a DNA or RNA string
Occitan:
locus
— portion of a DNA or RNA string
Portuguese:
lócus
— portion of a DNA or RNA string
