census

noun

cen·​sus ˈsen(t)-səs 

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

Synonyms

• count
• tale
• tally

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

But the government's latest public data from September 2024 shows Black people make up 18.5% of the federal civilian workforce, while their share of the general U.S. population, according to the 2020 census, stands at 14.8%. —Hansi Lo Wang, NPR, 27 Apr. 2025

The 2020 census previewed the changing population growth to the South, as Texas gained two seats while Colorado, Florida, Montana, North Carolina, and Oregon all gained one House seat each. —Mabinty Quarshie, The Washington Examiner, 26 Apr. 2025

This adjustment reflects the electoral redistribution based on the 2021 Canadian census, marking the first election conducted under the new 343-seat electoral map. —Thomas G. Moukawsher, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Apr. 2025

Helping residents find resources For the CASPER survey in Buncombe County, teams of two were going to knock on doors in census tracts selected to represent the broader demographics. —Brenda Goodman, CNN Money, 22 Apr. 2025

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

Phrases Containing census

• census clause

Rhymes for census

• amanuensis
• melitensis
• consensus

Kids Definition

census

noun

cen·​sus ˈsen(t)-səs 

: 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)