pre ‧ cinct /ˈpriːsɪŋkt/ BrE AmE noun
[ Date: 1400-1500 ; Language: Medieval Latin ; Origin: praecinctum , from Latin praecingere 'to put a belt around' ]
1 . [countable] shopping/pedestrian precinct British English an area of a town where people can walk and shop, and where cars are not allowed
2 . [countable] American English one of the areas that a town or city is divided into, so that elections or police work can be organized more easily
3 . [countable] American English the main police station in a particular area of a town or city
4 . precincts [plural] the area that surrounds an important building:
the precincts of the cathedral