census

[ sen-suhs ]

noun

, plural cen·sus·es.

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

/ 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

Derived Forms

• ˈcensual, adjective

Other Words From

• cen·su·al [sen, -shoo-, uh, l], adjective
• pre·census noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of census¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of census¹

C17: from Latin, from cēnsēre to assess

Example Sentences

In each expedition, Poulain would first validate the age of alleged centenarians by examining census information, birth and death records, marriage certificates, and other official documents.

From Science Magazine

Beyond its role in the US-China trade and tech war, its responsibilities include patent approvals, publishing economic data, and conducting the US census.

From BBC

According to the census, nearly a third of Los Angeles residents are over 50.

From Los Angeles Times

County, according to U.S. census data, yet homeowner preferences often dominate political debates over housing.

From Los Angeles Times

This is because both citizens and noncitizens are counted in the census and this data is then used to apportion seats.

From Salon

Related Words

• enumeration
• poll