residential
Americanadjective
-
of or relating to residence or to residences.
a residential requirement for a doctorate.
-
suited for or characterized by private residences.
a residential neighborhood.
adjective
-
suitable for or allocated for residence
a residential area
-
relating to or having residence
Other Word Forms
- nonresidential adjective
- pseudoresidential adjective
- quasi-residential adjective
- quasi-residentially adverb
- residentiality noun
- residentially adverb
- unresidential adjective
Etymology
Origin of residential
Explanation
In the same way that an “industrial area” is a place of industry where people work, a residential area is made up of houses and apartment buildings — places where people reside. Residential is an adjective that expresses a relationship with homes, apartments, or any place where people live. You might refer to a residential building, a residential neighborhood, or a residential block. Something that is deemed “for residential use” is designed for use at home or rather than for business or commercial use.
Vocabulary lists containing residential
Out of My Mind
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Content Summary G.3: Spatial Reorganization
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Al Capone Does My Shirts
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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.
The average residential customer pays $250 to $490 a year for that spending.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 9, 2026
The study followed 20 healthy adults who took part in a 7-day residential retreat led by neuroscience educator and author Joe Dispenza, D.C.
From Science Daily • Apr. 7, 2026
Paul Martin, who lives near Newtown in Powys, said the cottages, two of which are "restricted to holiday use", are "very close" to his home making them unsuitable to be sold as separate residential homes.
From BBC • Apr. 6, 2026
Iranian media reported several attacks on residential areas of Tehran, while the state broadcaster said gas outages hit parts of the capital after a strike on a university.
From Barron's • Apr. 6, 2026
Sweat trickled down her neck as she made her way up the shop-lined street and turned onto a residential one.
From "Book Scavenger" by Jennifer Chambliss Bertman
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.
