Meaning & use

census

noun·Academic

An official count or survey of a population, often recording details such as age and occupation.

See it in a sentence

The national census is conducted every ten years to track population changes.

Local officials used census data to decide where to build the new school.

A note on using this word

A census is a formal, government-run survey rather than an informal count, and its plural form is 'censuses.'

Words with a similar meaning

headcount

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