directory

American  

[dih-rek-tuh-ree, -tree, dahy-] / dɪˈrɛk tə ri, -tri, daɪ- /

noun

plural

directories

1. a book containing an alphabetical index of the names and addresses of persons in a city, district, organization, etc., or of a particular category of people.

2. a board or tablet on a wall of a building listing the room and floor numbers of the occupants.

3. a book of directions.

4. Computers.

   1. Also called folder.  an organizing unit in a computer's file system for storing and locating files. In a hierarchical file system, directories can contain child directories subdirectories as well as files.

   2. a description of characteristics of a particular file, as the layout of fields within each record.

5. French History. the Directory, the body of five directors forming the executive power of France from 1795 to 1799.

---

adjective

1. serving to direct; directing; directive.

directory ¹ British  

/ dɪˈrɛktərɪ, -trɪ, daɪ- /

noun

1. a book, arranged alphabetically or classified by trade listing names, addresses, telephone numbers, etc, of individuals or firms

2. a book or manual giving directions

3. a book containing the rules to be observed in the forms of worship used in churches

4. a less common word for directorate

5. computing an area of a disk, Winchester disk, or floppy disk that contains the names and locations of files currently held on that disk

---

adjective

1. directing

Directory ² British  

/ -trɪ, dɪˈrɛktərɪ, daɪ- /

noun

1. Also known as: the French Directory.  history the body of five directors in power in France from 1795 until their overthrow by Napoleon in 1799

---

Etymology

Origin of directory

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English, from Medieval Latin dīrēctōrium, noun use of Late Latin dīrēctōrius directorial; directory in def. 5, translation of French Directoire, from Medieval Latin, as above

Example Sentences

However, Sherborne produced emails in court indicating the Mail newspapers had provided access to the electoral roll and phone directory for journalists' research.

From BBC • Feb. 17, 2026

He’s listed on another university web page directory for “Integrative Biology and Physiology” as an associate adjunct professor.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 12, 2026

New York City’s telephone company in 1886 published the first Yellow Pages directory of business phone numbers—creating a nearly friction-free way for merchants and customers to find one another.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 15, 2025

Picture this: Panda Express, Jamba Juice and a combo Dunkin’-Baskin Robbins all within eyesight of one another — a food-court fever dream ripped straight from a 2003 mall directory.

From Salon • Oct. 21, 2025

He pulled out a directory and thumbed through it.

From "The Wednesday Wars" by Gary D. Schmidt

Related Words

• almanac
• catalogue
• list
• yellow pages