residence
Americannoun
-
the place, especially the house, in which a person lives or resides; dwelling; home.
Their residence is in New York City.
- Synonyms:
- domicile, habitation
-
a structure serving as a dwelling or home, especially one of large proportion and superior quality.
They have a summer residence in Connecticut.
- Synonyms:
- mansion
-
the act or fact of residing.
during his residence in Spain.
-
the act of living or staying in a specified place while performing official duties, carrying on studies or research, awaiting a divorce, etc..
She will spend two terms in resident at Oxford University.
-
the time during which a person resides in a place.
a residence there of five years.
-
the location of the main offices or principal center of business activity of a commercial enterprise, especially a large corporation, as registered under law.
-
Chemistry. residence time.
noun
-
the place in which one resides; abode or home
-
a large imposing house; mansion
-
the fact of residing in a place or a period of residing
-
the official house of the governor of any of various countries
-
the state of being officially present
-
-
actually resident
the royal standard indicates that the Queen is in residence
-
designating a creative artist resident for a set period at a university, college, etc, whose role is to stimulate an active interest in the subject
composer in residence
-
-
the seat of some inherent quality, characteristic, etc
Synonym Usage
See house.
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of residence
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Middle French, from Medieval Latin residentia, equivalent to Latin resid(ēre) “to dwell, live in, reside” + -entia noun suffix; see origin at reside, -ence
Explanation
The house or apartment where you live is your place of residence. If you're house proud, it means you keep your residence nice and tidy. The act of living in a place is also called residence. You might take up residence in an ancient oak tree when the city threatens to cut it down, for example. The official home of a person in a position of power — like a monarch or a president — is also called a residence. The official residence of the British Prime Minister is 10 Downing Street, and the residence of the President of the United States is 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.
Vocabulary lists containing residence
There's No Word Like Home
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
"Why the Sun and the Moon Live in the Sky"
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
HP said the payment helps ensure its CEO is available to run the company during a power outage at his residence, and it disclosed the perk in accordance with regulatory requirements.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 25, 2026
Prosecutors say Hernandez was last seen alive at the 21-year-old’s Doheny Place residence after she threatened to reveal their relationship.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 24, 2026
He has owned his primary residence in the Golden State since 1987, when he picked up the picturesque Pacific Palisades property for $1.33 million.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 24, 2026
On Tuesday, several opposition leaders, including Congress MP Rahul Gandhi, staged a protest outside Modi's residence.
From BBC ● Jul. 23, 2026
From the windows of the residence, I could see the red tulips and lavender grape hyacinth that surrounded the fountain at the base of the hill.
From "Becoming" by Michelle Obama
Additionally, candidates are exempted from including some assets, such as personal residences or vehicles.
From Salon ● Jul. 24, 2026
The Gelmans fraternized with Mexico’s bohemian avant-garde and hosted soirees at opulent residences in Mexico and New York.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 14, 2026
Residents are currently in short-term accommodation - some in housing association properties, some in private rentals including Airbnbs, others are in alternative temporary accommodation including student residences in Stirling.
From BBC ● Jul. 11, 2026
The Pfizer office conversion to 1,600 new residences, along with a rooftop pool, fitness center and ground-floor shops, is especially ambitious.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 9, 2026
“Don’t go out alone. News from the warfront is they’re cutting power to residences tonight to save energy for the airfield bases. So stay put, okay? The streets’ll be darker than usual.”
From "Legend" by Marie Lu
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
