locale
gb/loʊkˈæl/ us/loʊkˈæl/
B2
English
~ 7800
Senses
0 senses
Noun
B2
entity
1
place or setting of an event
A particular place or area where something happens, often with a special feeling or style.
Usage pattern:
a [adjective] locale; the locale of [an event]
Common mistake:
Learners often confuse "locale" with the adjective "local." "Locale" is a noun meaning a place, while "local" usually describes something from a nearby area (e.g., "local food," not *"locale food"). Many situations where learners want to use "locale" are actually more natural with "place" or "location," so overuse of "locale" can sound too formal or literary.
Synonyms
location (More common and general; does not especially suggest atmosphere or character.)
|
setting (Often used for where a story, film, or event takes place, with strong focus on atmosphere.)
|
place (Very general everyday term; less formal and less specific than "locale.")
Antonyms
anywhere (Suggests a non-specific place, the opposite of the specific, defined place implied by "locale.")
Collocations
rural locale
|urban locale
|remote locale
|exotic locale
|picturesque locale
|film locale
Themes
travel
|culture
|geography
|space
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The film’s desert locale gives it a lonely, haunting mood.
- They chose a quiet coastal locale for their wedding.
- The novel is set in a rural European locale during the 1930s.
- Tourism has brought rapid change to what was once a remote mountain locale.
- Each chapter takes place in a different city, giving the book a truly global locale.
Learner examples
- We looked for a quiet locale to eat lunch.
- This hotel is in a good locale for shopping.
- The story takes place in a small village locale.
- They moved to a rural locale to live a slower life.
Noun
technical
C1
entity
2
software language and region settings
In computers, a group of settings that control the language and how dates, times, and numbers look for a user or region.
Usage pattern:
set the locale to [a language/region]; support the [language] locale
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes think "locale" here just means "language." In computing, a locale also includes rules for dates, times, numbers, and currency. Another mistake is using "local" instead of "locale" (e.g., *"change the local" is incorrect; it should be "change the locale").
Synonyms
regional settings (Common everyday term in software interfaces; less technical-sounding than "locale" but sometimes less precise in developer discussions.)
|
language settings (Focuses mainly on the language, while "locale" also includes formats for dates, times, numbers, and currency.)
Antonyms
global settings (Refers to settings that are not specific to one user, region, or language, contrasting with the region-specific nature of a "locale.")
Collocations
system locale
|default locale
|locale settings
|language locale
|change the locale
|locale file
Themes
technology
|computing
|communication
Examples
- Make sure the application’s locale matches the user’s language and country.
- If your dates look wrong, check that the system locale is set to your region.
- The website automatically detects your browser locale and shows the correct currency.
- Developers need to test the software in multiple locales, including right-to-left languages.
- You can override the default locale in the configuration file.
Learner examples
- The app changed its locale to English.
- Please set the locale to US so the dates look correct.
- This program supports only one locale at the moment.
- My phone locale is German, so many apps show German text.
Noun
technical
C2
entity
3
small, specific area or region
A small, exact area inside a larger space or system, used mainly in science or medical language.
Usage pattern:
the locale of [a condition/problem] within [a system/body]
Synonyms
site (Very common technical term in medicine and science; slightly broader and more neutral than the somewhat formal "locale.")
Antonyms
systemic (Describes something affecting the whole body or system, in contrast to being limited to one specific locale.)
Collocations
locale of infection
|locale of pain
|tumor locale
|injury locale
Themes
science
|medicine
|space
Examples
- The doctor identified the exact locale of the infection near the joint.
- Treatment depends on the tumor’s locale within the brain.
- Persistent pain at a single locale may indicate nerve damage.
- Swelling was limited to the locale of the original injury.
- Researchers mapped the locale of the damage in the spinal cord.
Learner examples
- The nurse pressed on the locale of the pain.
- The test helped find the exact locale of the problem.
- The doctor talked about the tumor’s locale in the body.
- Swelling stayed in one small locale on his arm.
Grammar
Dictionary form
locale
IPA
GB/loʊkˈæl/
US/loʊkˈæl/
Syllables & stress
loc - ale (2 syllables)
Stress on 2nd syllable (ale)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: locale
- Plural: locales
Word family
Forms
locales
noun
Related words
Negative and opposite forms
dislocate
verb
dislocation
noun
Advanced or less common
localize
verb B2
localization
noun C1
Expressions
film locale
1/fˈɪlm loʊkˈæl/
fixed phrase
place where a film happens
The place where the story of a movie happens, or the place where the movie is filmed.
Examples
- The film locale shifts from New York to a small Italian village halfway through the story.
- The director chose the city as the film locale because of its modern look.
- Critics praised the film locale for adding depth to the characters’ journeys.
locale settings
1/loʊkˈæl sˈɛtɪŋz/
fixed phrase
technical
software locale configuration options
The options in a program or device that control its locale, such as language and date or number formats.
Examples
- If the dates look strange, check your locale settings.
- The installer lets you choose your locale settings during setup.
- These locale settings are stored in a configuration file for each user.
system locale
1/sˈɪstəm loʊkˈæl/
fixed phrase
technical
operating system’s default locale
The main locale used by a computer’s operating system, which affects how many programs show language and formats.
Examples
- You need administrator rights to change the system locale.
- After reinstalling the OS, the system locale was set to Japanese by default.
- Some legacy applications read only the system locale, not the user’s preferences.