plural loci
ˈlō-ˌsī 
-ˌkī,
-ˌkē
1
b
: a center of activity, attention, or concentration
in democracy the locus of power is in the people—
H. G. Rickover
H. G. Rickover2
: the set of all points whose location is determined by stated conditions
3
: the position in a chromosome of a particular gene or allele
Synonyms
Examples of locus in a Sentence
The area became a locus of resistance to the government.
an area of the Southwest that has been the locus of a number of New Agey movements
Recent Examples on the Web
In early September, the 47th Mechanized Brigade finally left the front line in eastern Ukraine’s Donetsk Oblast and redeployed to the relative safety of Pavlohrad, 60 miles west of Pokrovsk, the current locus of the Russian offensive in Donetsk.
—David Axe, Forbes, 9 Sep. 2024
Casual passersby might never notice, but the two spaces comprise a rare Los Angeles County locus for excellent Turkish food.
—Bill Addison, Los Angeles Times, 5 Sep. 2024
That is why, at Riyadh’s insistence, the locus of international oil production negotiations has shifted from OPEC to OPEC+, which includes Russia and other non-OPEC producers.
—F. Gregory Gause Iii, Foreign Affairs, 2 Aug. 2024
Stereophonic takes place entirely within the locus of any band’s creative life: the studio.
—Elise Hannum, The Atlantic, 20 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for locus 
David Axe, Forbes, 9 Sep. 2024
Casual passersby might never notice, but the two spaces comprise a rare Los Angeles County locus for excellent Turkish food.
—Bill Addison, Los Angeles Times, 5 Sep. 2024
That is why, at Riyadh’s insistence, the locus of international oil production negotiations has shifted from OPEC to OPEC+, which includes Russia and other non-OPEC producers.
—F. Gregory Gause Iii, Foreign Affairs, 2 Aug. 2024
Stereophonic takes place entirely within the locus of any band’s creative life: the studio.
—Elise Hannum, The Atlantic, 20 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for locus
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'locus.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near locus
Cite this Entry
“Locus.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/locus. Accessed 20 Sep. 2024.
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Medical Definition
locus
noun
lo·cus
ˈlō-kəs
plural loci
ˈlō-ˌsī, -ˌkī also -ˌkē
1
: a place or site of an event, activity, or thing
the integrity of the tissues determines the extent and locus of the damage—Sylvia E. Hines
Sylvia E. Hines2
: the position in a chromosome of a particular gene or allele
Legal Definition
locus
noun
lo·cus
ˈlō-kəs
: the place connected with a particular event having legal significance
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