Police Station: Definition, Examples, and Usage

Meaning 1：police station (police station)

police station 🔊

/pəˈliːs ˈsteɪʃən/

A place where police officers work and where people can go to report crimes or get help.

police station 🔊

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/pəˈliːs ˈsteɪʃən/

A building that serves as the local headquarters for police officers, where they work, store equipment, and interact with the public for reporting crimes or seeking assistance.

📁 Category：Buildings & Places 🔖 Level：elementary

📘 Details & Usage

📖 Root Explanation

Police from Greek 'politeia' (citizenship) + station from Latin 'statio' (standing place).

💡 Mnemonic

Think of 'police' + 'station' = a fixed spot where officers stand ready to serve.

📖 Example

When she found a lost dog, she took it to the police station to see if anyone had reported it missing. 🔊 When she found a lost dog, she took it to the police station to see if anyone had reported it missing.

🔗 Collocations

go to the police station – visit the local law enforcement building

report to the police station – inform authorities at the building about an incident

at the police station – located inside or near the law enforcement building

🔄 Synonyms

precinct (n) – A district police station in a city or town

police headquarters (n) – The main administrative building for a police force

police department (n) – The entire organization of police officers, often including multiple stations

🚫 Antonyms

criminal hideout (n) – A secret place where lawbreakers gather

crime scene (n) – Location where a crime occurred

🌱 Derivatives

policing (n) – The activity of maintaining public order by law enforcement

stationery (n) – Writing materials; not directly related, but shares the 'station' root

📖 Cultural Story

The concept of a dedicated police station emerged in 19th-century England with the Metropolitan Police Act of 1829, creating centralized locations for law enforcement operations.