residency

noun

res·​i·​den·​cy ˈre-zə-dən(t)-sē 

ˈrez-dən(t)-,

ˈre-zə-ˌden(t)-

plural residencies

1

a

: a usually official place of residence

b

: a state or period of residence

a 20-year residency in the city

also : residence sense 2c

2

: a territory in a protected state in which the powers of the protecting state are executed by a resident agent

3

a

: a period of advanced training in a medical specialty that normally follows graduation from medical school and licensing to practice medicine

b

: residence sense 4b

c

: a period as an artist in residence

Synonyms

• habitation
• occupancy
• occupation
• possession

Examples of residency in a Sentence

You must meet the town's residency requirement in order to vote.

a four-year residency in the country

She recently completed her residency in pediatrics.

Recent Examples on the Web

New Edition is extending its popular residency at the Encore Theater at Wynn Las Vegas. —Gail Mitchell, Billboard, 18 Nov. 2024

Those figures don’t include traveling national shows or international residencies. —Sarah Whitten, NBC News, 9 Nov. 2024

One of the main draws is the ease of obtaining residency. —Laura Begley Bloom, Forbes, 6 Nov. 2024

Portugal scrapped its golden visa program last year, which allowed foreigners to acquire residency and eventually citizenship in the country through the purchase of property. —Ryan Hogg, Fortune Europe, 6 Nov. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1579, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Kids Definition

residency

noun

res·​i·​den·​cy ˈrez-əd-ən-sē 

-ə-ˌden(t)-

plural residencies

1

a

: a usually official place of residence

b

: a state or period of residence

a four-year residency in the country

c

: residence sense 2b

applied for residency

2

a

: a period of advanced training especially in a medical specialty that typically follows graduation from medical school

b

: residence sense 3b

Medical Definition

residency

noun

res·​i·​den·​cy ˈrez-əd-ən-sē 

plural residencies

: a period of advanced medical training and education that normally follows graduation from medical school and licensing to practice medicine and that consists of supervised practice of a specialty in a hospital and in its outpatient department and instruction from specialists on the hospital staff

Legal Definition

residency

noun

res·​i·​den·​cy ˈre-zə-dən-sē 

plural residencies

1

: an often official place of residence

2

: the condition of being a resident of a particular place