Local means existing in or belonging to the area where you live, or to the area that you are talking about.
We'd better check on the match in the local paper.
Some local residents joined the students' protest.
I was going to pop up to the local library.
Synonyms: community, district, regional, provincial More Synonyms of local
The locals are local people.
That's what the locals call the place.
locallyadverb [ADVERB after verb, ADVERB -ed]
We've got cards which are drawn and printed and designed by someone locally.
2. adjective [usually ADJECTIVE noun]
Local government is elected by people in one area of a country and controls aspects such as education, housing, and transport within that area.
Education comprises two-thirds of all local council spending.
...the controversial system of local taxation known as the poll tax.
locallyadverb
The curriculum was to be decided locally.
3. countable noun [usually singular, usually poss NOUN]
Your local is a pub which is near where you live and where you often go for a drink.
[British, informal]
The Black Horse is my local.
Synonyms: pub, bar, inn, tavern More Synonyms of local
4. adjective
A local anaesthetic or condition affects only a small area of your body.
[medicine]
An injection of local anaesthetic is usually given first to numb the area.
More Synonyms of local
local in British English
(ˈləʊkəl)
adjective
1.
characteristic of or associated with a particular locality or area
2.
of, concerned with, or relating to a particular place or point in space
3. medicine
of, affecting, or confined to a limited area or part
Compare general (sense 10), systemic (sense 2)
4.
(of a train, bus, etc) stopping at all stations or stops
noun
5.
a train, bus, etc, that stops at all stations or stops
6.
an inhabitant of a specified locality
7. British informal
a pub close to one's home or place of work
8. medicine short for local anaesthetic
9. US and Canadian
an item of local interest in a newspaper
10. US and Canadian
a local or regional branch of an association
11. Canadian
a telephone extension
Derived forms
localness (ˈlocalness)
noun
Word origin
C15: via Old French from Late Latin locālis, from Latin locus place, locus
local in American English
(ˈloʊkəl)
adjective
1.
relating to place
2.
of, characteristic of, or confined to a particular place or district
items of local interest
3.
not broad; restricted; narrow
local outlook
4.
of or for a particular part or specific area of the body; not general
5. US
making all stops along its run
a local bus
6. Chiefly British
of or relating to specific portions or details of a literary text, as distinguished from its overall structure, themes, style, etc.
noun
7. US
a local train, bus, etc.
8. US
a newspaper item of local interest only
9. US
a chapter or branch of a labor union
10. Informal
a resident of a particular place
they tried to convince the locals
11. British, Informal
a neighborhood pub
12.
an anesthetic that numbs only a small area of the body, allowing the patient to remain conscious during minor surgery, a biopsy, etc.
see also general (sense 13): in full local anesthetic
Word origin
ME locall < OFr local < LL localis < L locus, a place < IE *stlokos < base *stel-, to set up, stand, location > stalk1, stall2, still1, Gr stellein, to put
Examples of 'local' in a sentence
local
Where do you do your local food shop?
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
His local primary school was at a loss.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
The result is beautiful but local people find it very inconvenient.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
This is where the locals live and drink.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Their livestock might be put in charge of one selected local farmer.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
We had to train the local teams and language was one of the issues.
Computing (2010)
They are from the local area.
The Sun (2016)
My tip is to go along to your local shopping centre dressed as a fountain.
The Sun (2011)
Last month her store arranged for a local school to come in and make bird boxes.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
The loyalties of the population were in any case regional and local.
Grenville, J. A. S. The Collins History of the World in the 20th Century (1994)
Often local policy has also been changed as a result.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
They emphasise that local people stand to gain far more than they lose.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
Served by a brand new bubble lift this is where local slalom clubs practise and race.
The Sun (2015)
Locals are less concerned than you might suspect.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
With the chaps who drink at my local and like to talk about football.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
He played guitar in local pubs and clubs before his astonishing success.
The Sun (2009)
You can look up a local one on the internet or in the phone book.
The Sun (2009)
The same percentage opted for having a young person from the local area light the flame.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
Look at the way he carries himself on the roof of the local train.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
She asked for my help to trace a security breach at my local branch.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
What are the relationships between local and particular and national and general identities?
Collins, Richard Television - policy and culture (1990)
Cooking for myself is also much more expensive than a visit to my local chicken shop.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
Simple restaurant serving regional dishes and local wines.
Millon, Kim & Millon, Marc The Wine Roads of France (1989)
Local sociological structure often revolved around him.
Christianity Today (2000)
And a concerned local has stuck a warning notice to the front.
The Sun (2012)
Bikes can be delivered to the door to explore the rolling countryside or to ride along the river to the local pub.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
All meals, local soft drinks and local beers and wines are included.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
The local restaurant is called Milan, down an arched alley that must once have belonged to a coaching hostel.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
In other languages
local
British English: local /ˈləʊkl/ ADJECTIVE
Local means existing in or belonging to the area where you live, or to the area that you are talking about.
...the local newspaper.
American English: local
Arabic: مَحَلِيّ
Brazilian Portuguese: local
Chinese: 当地的
Croatian: lokalan
Czech: místní
Danish: lokal
Dutch: lokaal
European Spanish: local
Finnish: paikallinen
French: local
German: örtlich
Greek: τοπικός
Italian: locale
Japanese: 局部の
Korean: 국소적인
Norwegian: lokal
Polish: lokalny
European Portuguese: local
Romanian: local
Russian: местный
Latin American Spanish: local perteneciente al lugar
Swedish: lokal
Thai: ประจำท้องถิ่น
Turkish: yerel
Ukrainian: місцевий
Vietnamese: thuộc địa phương
All related terms of 'local'
local time
当(當)地时(時)间(間) dāngdì shíjiān
a local call
本地电(電)话(話) běndì diànhuà
local authority
地方当(當)局 dìfāng dāngjú [ 美 = local government ]
local government
[ u ] ( system ) 地方政府 dìfāng zhèngfǔ
local anaesthetic
局部麻醉 júbù mázuì
he works for a local firm
他为(為)一家当(當)地公司工作 tā wèi yī jiā dāngdì gōngsī gōngzuò