census

noun

cen·​sus ˈsen(t)-səs How to pronounce census (audio)
1
: a count of the population and a property evaluation in early Rome
2
: a usually complete enumeration of a population
specifically : a periodic governmental enumeration of population
According to the latest U.S census, 16% of the population is of Hispanic or Latino origin.
3
: count, tally
a census of deer in a game refuge
census transitive verb

Examples of census in a Sentence

According to the latest census, the racial makeup of the town has changed dramatically in the last 50 years. a thorough census of all the grizzly bears living within the national park
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Ninety percent of the community is Black and about 8% white, according to recent census data. Marquise Francis, NBC News, 12 Nov. 2024 Georgia’s shift from red to purple is widely credited to diversification in the Atlanta metro area, where the population grew by 15% between 2010 and 2020, while the white population shrank by 2%, according to the most recent census data. Sara Dorn, Forbes, 4 Nov. 2024 According to census data, New York had the highest average commute time of 33.2 minutes, and Maryland wasn't far behind with a usual commute time of around 32 minutes. David Faris, Newsweek, 4 Nov. 2024 In 2023, the U.S. population is 58.4% white, 19.5% Latino, 13.7% Black and 6.4% Asian American, the census says. Russell Contreras, Axios, 2 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for census 

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Latin cēnsus, from cēnsēre "to give as an opinion, assess, appraise, perform the duties of a censor" + -tus, suffix of verbal action — more at censor entry 1

First Known Use

1634, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of census was in 1634

Dictionary Entries Near census

Cite this Entry

“Census.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/census. Accessed 28 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

census

noun
cen·​sus ˈsen(t)-səs How to pronounce census (audio)
: a counting of the population (as of a country, city, or town) and a gathering of related statistics done by a government every so often

Legal Definition

census

noun
cen·​sus
: a usually complete count of a population (as of a state)
especially : a periodic governmental count of a population that usually includes social and economic information (as occupations, ages, and incomes)

More from Merriam-Webster on census

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