census
C1Formal, official, technical, academic
Definition
Meaning
An official count or survey of a population, typically recording various details of individuals.
Any systematic, official count of a group, including of objects, species, or institutions; a formal and comprehensive survey.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The term implies official state or institutional authority, legal mandate, comprehensiveness, and periodic recurrence. It is a count, not a sample, and collects structured data.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant differences in meaning or usage. Both countries conduct a national census. The decennial schedule may differ.
Connotations
Conveys officialdom, demographic data, and state planning in both varieties.
Frequency
Equally frequent in formal/official contexts in both BrE and AmE.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
The {government} conducted a census of {the population}.According to the latest census, {the population has grown}.{Data} from the census shows {a trend}.To take part in the census.Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “A snapshot of the nation (related concept, not a fixed idiom).”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Used for market analysis based on demographic census data.
Academic
Central to demographic, historical, and sociological research.
Everyday
Discussing government forms, population changes, or filling out the census questionnaire.
Technical
Precise methodology of data collection, processing, and statistical adjustment in official statistics.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The village was last censused in 2011.
- The process of censusing the population is complex.
American English
- The agency will census the territory next year.
- Censusing occurs every ten years.
adverb
British English
- (No standard adverbial form. 'Censually' is extremely rare/non-standard.)
American English
- (No standard adverbial form.)
adjective
British English
- Census information is confidential.
- The census date is set by law.
American English
- Census data reveals migration patterns.
- Please complete your census form.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The government does a census every ten years.
- My family filled in the census form.
- According to the last census, the city's population is growing.
- The census asks questions about your job and home.
- Researchers are analysing the newly released census data to identify social trends.
- The accuracy of the census can be affected by low response rates in some areas.
- Historical census records are an invaluable primary source for genealogists and social historians.
- The methodological challenges of censusing a nomadic population are considerable.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: 'SENSE the population' – a census makes sense of who lives where.
Conceptual Metaphor
A NATION'S SNAPSHOT / A STATE'S INVENTORY
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse with 'перепись', which is correct.
- Avoid using 'ценз' (which means qualification or census in a historical/legal sense, but is a false friend for the modern term 'census').
Common Mistakes
- Pronouncing it /ˈsɛnʃəs/ (like 'conscious').
- Using 'census' for a small, informal count (e.g., 'Let's do a census of who wants pizza.').
- Confusing 'census' (noun) with 'consensus' (noun meaning general agreement).
Practice
Quiz
What is the primary purpose of a census?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
In many countries, including the UK and US, it is taken every ten years (decennially), but the interval can vary by country.
Yes, in most countries with an official census, responding is a legal requirement, though enforcement varies.
Typically demographic data (age, sex), household composition, employment, education, housing, and sometimes ethnicity or religion.
A census aims to count every member of a population, while a survey collects data from a sample of that population.
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