locate

The word “locate” means to find the exact position of something. In plain terms, to find where something is, or to set something up in a particular place.

“Locate” is pronounced luh-KAYT (/ˈloʊˌkeɪt/ in IPA).

Here is “locate” used in a sentence: “It took rescuers hours to locate the missing hikers.”

“Locate” is a verb.

The word “locate” comes from Latin. From Latin locātus, "placed", from locō, "to place", from locus, "place".

“Locate” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.

“Locate” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: to find the exact position of something.

Both mean to discover where something is, but 'locate' is more formal and stresses pinpointing the exact position, usually through a deliberate search. 'Find' is the more general, everyday word and can also mean to come across something by chance.

In the sense of placing something, both mean to put it in a particular spot. 'Situate' is more formal and often appears in the passive, as in 'the house is situated on a hill', while 'locate' works for both active searching and placement.

Use 'locate' when the emphasis is on choosing a specific position for something, especially a building or facility, as in 'they located the factory near the river'. 'Place' is simpler and more general for putting any object somewhere.