locus
/ˈloʊkəs/
noun
Origin
Latin
locus — place, spot
Overview
Meaning Now
- A particular position, point, or place.
- In mathematics, the set of all points that satisfy a particular condition.
- In genetics, the specific physical location of a gene or DNA sequence on a chromosome.
Literal older meaning
place, spot
Language path
Proto-Indo-European → Latin → English
Earliest form
locus
Earliest period
Classical Latin
Journey
The term has remained remarkably stable in form since its adoption from Latin into scholarly English during the Renaissance, preserving its original meaning as a 'place' while specializing in scientific, mathematical, and biological contexts.
Evolution
- Proto-Indo-European
*stó-ko-
“a place”
Reconstructed root
- Classical Latin
locus
“place, spot, region”
- Late Latin/Old French
loc
“place”
Influenced the adoption into Middle English
- Middle English
locus
“place, passage in a book”
Direct borrowing from Latin
Connections
Word parts
locus
root
place
Related across languages
Italian
luogo
place
French
lieu
place
Spanish
lugar
place
Explore next
Related to locus
External references use DefinedTerm semantics.