locate

verb

LOH-kayt/ˈloʊˌkeɪt/UKloh-KAYT/lə(ʊ)ˈkeɪt/

Formslocates, locating, located

5 meanings of locate

1
findverbtransitive
To find out where someone or something is.
Like finding a lost toy hidden somewhere in the house.
Rescue teams worked through the night to locate the missing hikers.
Can you locate my keys? I've looked everywhere.
UsageOften can't locate it. You locate a place when you find it; the place is located where it is.
Similarfind, pinpoint, trace, track, discover
Oppositelose, misplace
Note
2
putverbtransitive
To put something in a particular place or position.
Like choosing the right spot to set down a heavy box.
They decided to locate the new playground near the school.
Engineers locate the support beams at equal distances along the bridge.
UsageOften is located in or near a place: the school is located near the park.
Similarplace, position, site, situate, put
Note
3
settleverbcolloquialintransitive
To settle down and live in a place.
Like a bird picking one tree to build its nest and stay.
After the war, many families chose to locate out west.
They decided to locate near the river for easier farming.
UsageUse it with a place: locate in a town, locate near the river.
Similarsettle, move
4
verbusually passivetransitive
To be in a certain place, used about buildings, towns, businesses, things, or parts of things. We usually say "is located."
Our school is located right next to a big park.
In this car, the engine is located at the back, not the front.
Similarsituate, base, site, place
Note

Less common meaning

5
verb
To mark out the place or the edges of something.

Practice

Can you tell the meanings of locate apart? Answer 3 quick questions from this page, or write your own sentence and AI will check it.

Origin

From Latin locō "to place," which comes from locus "place."

Checked 5 Nov 2026 · 2 facts

Locate derives from Latin locō, meaning "to place," through its participle locātus. en.wiktionary.org
Latin locō derives from locus, meaning "place." en.wiktionary.org