To locate something means to find where it is or to figure out its position. When you locate your missing library book, you discover it's been under your bed all week. When a detective locates a suspect, she determines which city or building they're in. Sailors used to locate their position at sea by measuring the angles of stars with a tool called a sextant.

The word also means to put something in a particular place. A company might locate its factory near a river for easy shipping, or a bird might locate its nest high in a tree for safety. When someone asks, “Where is the cafeteria located?” they're asking about its position or place.

Location is the noun form, meaning the place where something is or where something happens. Your school has a location on a specific street. A movie's location might be a beach in California or a castle in Scotland. Finding the right location matters: a lemonade stand located on a busy corner will probably sell more than one hidden behind a garage.