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
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suitable for or allocated for residence
a residential area
-
relating to or having residence
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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.
Last week, another bear attacked and injured four people in a residential district of Fukushima city.
From BBC • Jun. 9, 2026
"We have on the one hand the tourist accommodation market and on the other the residential market," says Jordi Vila, a representative of the Sindicat de Llogateres.
From BBC • Jun. 7, 2026
At the time, Kevin McManus with Pasadena Humane told ABC7 News that mountain lion sightings in the city are “extremely rare,” but noted that last year’s wildfires could be pushing cats further into residential areas.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 6, 2026
He was in residential treatment for a few months, then in intensive outpatient treatment.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 6, 2026
"No one just passes through the residential parts of the palace."
From "The Belles" by Dhonielle Clayton
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.
