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.
The Town of Bath was officially founded in 1776, named after the famous spas in Bath, England, and at the 2020 census reported around 750 residents. Staff Author, Travel + Leisure, 20 Oct. 2025 The 2020 census had just over 28,000 Tennessee residents who identified as Native American/Native Alaskan. Andy Humbles, Nashville Tennessean, 17 Oct. 2025 According to a 2021 census, around 30 per cent of Birmingham’s population is Muslim, with the visit of an Israeli team regarded as a high-risk safety concern. Jacob Tanswell, New York Times, 17 Oct. 2025 According to the last national census in India, carried out in 2011, Shahjahanpur had about 872 females for every 1000 males, a wider gap than a national average already imbalanced. Aishwarya S. Iyer, CNN Money, 16 Oct. 2025 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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Census.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/census. Accessed 22 Oct. 2025.

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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