locus

noun

lo·​cus ˈlō-kəs How to pronounce locus (audio)
plural loci ˈlō-ˌsī How to pronounce locus (audio)
-ˌkī
-ˌkē
Synonyms of locus
1
a
: the place where something is situated or occurs : site, location
Was the culture of medicine in the beginning dispersed from a single focus or did it arise in several loci?S. C. Harvey
b
: a center of activity, attention, or concentration
In democracy the locus of power is in the people.H. G. Rickover
2
: the set of all points whose location is determined by stated conditions
3
: the position in a chromosome of a particular gene or allele

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
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 result is a shift in the locus of error. Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic, Forbes.com, 27 May 2026 Nagi is a farming village, a locus of military activity, and a place still largely in thrall to patriarchal dynamics. Justin Chang, New Yorker, 27 May 2026 The South Terrace, with bucolic and far-reaching views, is already the locus of socialising spilling down to the 25-meter pool. Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 18 May 2026 The scientists identified 79 loci, or the location of a gene on a chromosome, that qualify as risk variants. Noah Lyons, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for locus

Word History

Etymology

Latin — more at stall

First Known Use

1648, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of locus was in 1648

Cite this Entry

“Locus.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/locus. Accessed 31 May. 2026.

Kids Definition

locus

noun
lo·​cus ˈlō-kəs How to pronounce locus (audio)
plural loci ˈlō-ˌsī How to pronounce locus (audio)
-ˌkī
-ˌkē
1
2
: the set of all points whose location is determined by stated conditions
3
: the position in a chromosome of a particular gene or allele

Medical Definition

locus

noun
lo·​cus ˈlō-kəs How to pronounce locus (audio)
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 damageSylvia E. Hines
2
: the position in a chromosome of a particular gene or allele

Legal Definition

locus

noun
lo·​cus ˈlō-kəs How to pronounce locus (audio)
: the place connected with a particular event having legal significance

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