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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.

India's 16th census - the eighth since independence in 1947 - will also include caste data and is seen as crucial for policy, welfare delivery and political representation in the world's most populous country.

From BBC • Mar. 31, 2026

India's transgender population was estimated at nearly 500,000 in the 2011 census, although activists say stigma and underreporting mask the true figure.

From Barron's • Mar. 24, 2026

Nine out of 10 residents say their city is unsafe, according to census data, more than in any other municipality in Mexico.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 21, 2026

About 61% of the population is Muslim, according to the 2021 census, and its mosque is one of the largest in Australia.

From BBC • Mar. 20, 2026

Besides simply counting how many people actually live in America, that census tally also determines how many seats each state gets in Congress and how many electors each state receives in a presidential election.

From "In the Shadow of Liberty" by Kenneth C. Davis

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.