rectory
Americannoun
plural
rectories-
a rector's house; parsonage.
-
British. a benefice held by a rector.
noun
-
the official house of a rector
-
Church of England the office and benefice of a rector
Other Word Forms
- subrectory noun
Etymology
Origin of rectory
1530–40; < Medieval Latin rēctōria, equivalent to Latin rēctōr- (stem of rēctor ) rector + -ia -y 3
Explanation
A rectory is the housing that a church organization provides for a minister or priest to live in. Most rectories are conveniently close to the church. The official name of a minister who lives in a rectory is a rector, a clergy member of either the Episcopal, Catholic, or Anglican churches. Some universities, particularly in Scotland, have academic positions with the name rector, and they are also sometimes provided with rectories to live in. In Latin, rector means "ruler or governor," from regere, "to rule or guide."
Vocabulary lists containing rectory
The Poet X
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!
"St. Lucy's Home for Girls Raised by Wolves" by Karen Russell
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!
Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl
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.
Redbird – Set inside the former rectory of Vibiana, Redbird is a modern American restaurant built for sharing.
From Salon • Mar. 31, 2026
Including servants, 23 people were crammed into a chaotic rectory where no one kept regular hours and money was always short.
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 20, 2026
Since its construction in 1862, the Essex rectory had been the site of alleged hauntings.
From New York Times • Jan. 20, 2024
Plans for the church hall, on Glebe Way, included a cafe, day nursery building, replacement rectory with detached garage, two outbuildings to provide a prayer room and substation, and bike storage.
From BBC • Jan. 11, 2024
Midaftemoon, she spotted a green panel truck pulling up to the rectory gates.
From "In the Time of the Butterflies" by Julia Alvarez
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.
