Cen"sus (?), n. [L. census, fr. censere. See Censor.] 1. Bot. Antiq. A numbering of the people, and valuation of their estate, for the purpose of imposing taxes, etc.; -- usually made once in five years.
2. An official registration of the number of the people, the value of their estates, and other general statistics of a country.
⇒ A general census of the United States was first taken in 1790, and one has been taken at the end of every ten years since.
© Webster 1913. | 
