What does locale mean?
A locale is a particular place associated with an event, story, activity, or cultural context. The word is often used when discussing the setting of a film, novel, or historical occurrence: a story might have an urban locale, a coastal locale, or a remote rural locale. It can also refer more broadly to the environment or region in which something takes place. In computing, a locale specifies conventions such as language, date format, time format, and number formatting for software or a device. The term is more formal and specialized than the everyday word place, but less exact than location when an identifiable point is intended. A locale is generally a recognizable place or cultural setting rather than a precise address. The word is used in both British and American English, though the stress and pronunciation differ. Understanding it is useful in literary analysis, geography, history, and software localization.
nounA particular place where an event takes place or is set, especially a place depicted in a film, book, or other work. In computing, it also refers to a set of language and regional conventions used for formatting and display.
- A particular place where an event takes place or is set.
- The cultural and geographic setting associated with a work, event, or community.
- In computing, a specification of the language and regional conventions used to format and display information.
"The novel's remote Scottish locale shapes both its atmosphere and its central conflict."
"The abandoned mine becomes an unlikely locale for the final act of the drama."
"Users can change their system locale to display dates and numbers in the appropriate regional format."
The standard plural is locales, with the final e retained.
"The exhibition brings together films and photographs from several distinctive locales."
Locale arrived in English from French and Latin, but its pronunciation shifted dramatically between British and American English.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does locale come from?
Locale was borrowed into English from French locale, an adjective derived from Latin localis, itself formed from locus, meaning “place.” It developed in English to designate a place associated with particular events or circumstances. Its relatives include local, locality, location, and the Latin-derived allocate, all of which reflect the same ancient root.
Related word forms
How locale is actually used
Locale is more formal than place or setting and is especially common in literary, historical, geographic, and computing contexts. British and American pronunciations differ in both stress and vowel quality.
Easily confused with locale
A locale is a place or cultural setting, whereas local is normally an adjective meaning relating to a particular place or community.