local
Americanadjective
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pertaining to or characterized by place or position in space; spatial.
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pertaining to, characteristic of, or restricted to a particular place or particular places.
a local custom.
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pertaining to a city, town, or small district rather than an entire state or country.
local transportation.
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stopping at most or all stations.
a local train.
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pertaining to or affecting a particular part or particular parts, as of a physical system or organism.
a local disease.
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Medicine/Medical. (of anesthesia or an anesthetic) affecting only a particular part or area of the body, without concomitant loss of consciousness, as distinguished from general anesthesia.
noun
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a local train, bus, etc.
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a newspaper item of local interest.
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a local branch of a union, fraternity, etc.
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a local anesthetic.
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Often locals.
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a local person or resident.
primarily of interest to locals.
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a local athletic team.
the locals versus the state champions.
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British Informal. a neighborhood pub.
verb (used without object)
adjective
noun
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a train, bus, etc, that stops at all stations or stops
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an inhabitant of a specified locality
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informal a pub close to one's home or place of work
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med short for local anaesthetic
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an item of local interest in a newspaper
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a local or regional branch of an association
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a telephone extension
Other Word Forms
- interlocal adjective
- interlocally adverb
- localness noun
- nonlocal adjective
- nonlocally adverb
- superlocal adjective
- superlocally adverb
- unlocal adjective
- unlocally adverb
Etymology
Origin of local
First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English word from Late Latin word locālis. See locus, -al 1
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
A local 2024 market analysis showed Telluride lagging behind the competition.
Some locals, however, suspect the cameras are behind some unusual encounters they’ve had in recent months with officers from Border Patrol and its parent agency, Customs and Border Protection.
From Los Angeles Times
"I am hearing explosions and fighter jets overhead," one resident of central Tehran said at around 9:45 am local time, before communications and internet access were cut.
From Barron's
When she begins dating the owner of a local pet shop, Iona immediately falls in step with her yuppie new beau.
From Salon
“We remain committed to full environmental compliance, responsible stewardship, and constructive engagement with regulatory authorities and local stakeholders,” Lazizi Mara said after the court announced its decision.
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
