local

local — adjective

1. Relating to the particular town, district, or neighbourhood where you live or wh

1.adjectiveA2
Definition

Relating to the particular town, district, or neighbourhood where you live or which is the focus of discussion — rather than the whole country.

Example

Sumin bought fresh bread from the local bakery every Saturday morning.

collocation: local bakery / local shop / local market

The local council decided to build a new park near the river.

Common collocations
  • local community
  • local government
  • local business
  • local news
  • local time
  • local area
Synonyms
  • neighbourhood

    only for small residential areas, less formal

  • regional

    broader in scope, often covering a larger area than 'local'

  • nearby

    focuses on physical proximity rather than belonging to an area

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

local + noun

Usage Note

Commonly used before a noun. Do not confuse with 'native', which relates to birthplace — 'local' refers to a place of current residence or operation.

Common Mistakes

I bought it from local.
I bought it from a local shop.
As an adjective, 'local' needs a following noun unless it is used as a noun itself.

2. Occurring in or influencing just one specific bodily location, without spreading

2.adjectiveB2
Definition

Occurring in or influencing just one specific bodily location, without spreading to the rest of the body.

Example

The doctor applied a local cream to ease the pain in Diya's knee.

collocation: local cream / local anaesthetic / local injection

Gabriel chose local anaesthesia for his dental surgery rather than general.

Common collocations
  • local anaesthetic
  • local infection
  • local reaction
  • local injection
  • local numbness
Synonyms
  • topical

    specifically for treatments applied to the skin surface

  • localised

    emphasises the confinement to one area

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

local + noun (medical)

Usage Note

Primarily a medical or technical term. Typically used before a noun describing a treatment, sensation, or condition. The noun 'local' is sometimes used as a short form of 'local anaesthetic'.

local — noun

Word family

  • locally
    adverbB1
  • locality
    nounB2
  • localise
    verbC1
  • localisation
    nounC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

'Local' suggests someone who lives in a particular area and is familiar with it, often implying that they know the neighbourhood well and are part of its daily life. 'Resident' is more formal and neutral — it simply describes someone who lives somewhere without the connotation of familiarity or belonging. 'Inhabitant' is a broader, more neutral term that can refer to people, animals, or even plants living in a place. 'Native' emphasises that a person was born in a place, not just living there currently; it carries a stronger sense of origin than 'local'. 'Citizen' is a legal-political term referring to a member of a state or city with specific rights. For example: 'Ask a local for directions to the best noodle shop.' — 'The residents of the building filed a formal complaint.' — 'The natives of the island have preserved their traditional language.'

resident ↗inhabitant ↗native ↗citizen ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • on a local level
  • at the local level

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

Comes from Latin 'localis', meaning 'belonging to a place', which was formed from 'locus' meaning 'a place or location'. It entered English through Old French in the late 1300s with the sense 'pertaining to a particular place'. The medical sense ('limited to a body part') developed in the early 1800s. The noun uses emerged gradually: 'local resident' (c. 1500s), 'local pub' (1800s), and 'local train' (mid-1800s).