Precincts

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A defined area within a town or city designated for specific purposes, such as police or electoral divisions
2. The boundaries of a district or locality, often relating to law enforcement or governance
3. An enclosed space where particular activities occur, commonly pertaining to administrative functions or elections

Etymology: The word "precincts" is simply the plural of "precinct," and the original picture is literal: a precinct was an enclosure, a space walled or girdled off from its surroundings. The Latin root "praecingere" combined "prae," meaning "before," with "cingere," meaning "to surround" or "gird," so the sense was of a boundary belt drawn around something. That same root gave English "cinch," the strap that girds a saddle onto a horse. Medieval Latin turned this into "praecinctum," an enclosure or boundary line, and English adopted the idea in the early 15th century as a district for government purposes. The sense of a bounded zone, marked out by a line, stayed central as the word moved from walls to administration. Today the plural usually refers to the grounds around a building, or to the areas a police station or polling station covers.

Synonyms: districts, areas, zones, neighborhoods, regions