plural loci
ˈlō-ˌsī 
-ˌkī,
-ˌkē
1
b
: a center of activity, attention, or concentration
In democracy the locus of power is in the people.—
H. G. Rickover
H. G. Rickover2
: 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
In Smith’s attentiveness, the painting became a locus of communion, one that linked him to the artist who made it.
—Luis Parrales, The Atlantic, 28 Apr. 2026
Market segmentation, especially demographic segmentation based on age, loci, socioeconomic status index, and household life cycle, also became frequent in market analysis.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 27 Apr. 2026
Tucked away in a quiet industrial park, the nondescript building had become the locus of ongoing protests since Bovino and his forces had arrived in Illinois.
—A.c. Thompson, ProPublica, 14 Apr. 2026
Located 45 minutes outside Seattle, the cinema is a locus of activity for the mountain town.
—Brent Lang, Variety, 8 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for locus
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Luis Parrales, The Atlantic, 28 Apr. 2026
Market segmentation, especially demographic segmentation based on age, loci, socioeconomic status index, and household life cycle, also became frequent in market analysis.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 27 Apr. 2026
Tucked away in a quiet industrial park, the nondescript building had become the locus of ongoing protests since Bovino and his forces had arrived in Illinois.
—A.c. Thompson, ProPublica, 14 Apr. 2026
Located 45 minutes outside Seattle, the cinema is a locus of activity for the mountain town.
—Brent Lang, Variety, 8 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for locus
Cite this Entry
“Locus.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/locus. Accessed 3 May. 2026.
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Medical Definition
locus
noun
lo·cus
ˈlō-kəs
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 damage—Sylvia E. Hines
Sylvia E. Hines2
: the position in a chromosome of a particular gene or allele
Legal Definition
locus
noun
lo·cus
ˈlō-kəs
: the place connected with a particular event having legal significance
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