precinct
UK[ˈpriːsɪŋkt]US[ˈpriːsɪŋkt]
n
a district of a city or town, especially one with defined boundaries for administrative or policing purposes.
n
an enclosed or clearly defined area around a building, especially one with special restrictions.
Morpheme Breakdown
pre
cinct
pre
before
cinct
girded, encircled
Etymology
the word "precinct" originates from the latin praecinctum, meaning "an enclosure, boundary," which is the neuter past participle of praecingere ("to gird about, encircle"). praecingere itself is a compound of prae- ("before") and cingere ("to gird, surround"). the literal sense was of an area that is "girded before" or "enclosed in front," referring to a space bounded by a physical or conceptual line. over time, this evolved in english to denote a defined administrative district or a restricted zone around a specific place, retaining the core idea of a bounded area.
Analysis
Structure: pre (before) + cinct (girded, encircled)
pre- (latin prefix, meaning "before, in front of"); cinct (from latin cinctus, past participle of cingere, meaning "to gird, surround, encircle")
Examples
the suspect was arrested in the 12th police precinct.
pedestrian precincts in the city center have improved the shopping experience.
the election results were reported precinct by precinct.