residence

UK: /ˈrɛzɪdəns/ US: /ˈrɛzɪdəns/ ,(rez′i dəns)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

res•i•dence /ˈrɛzɪdəns/   n. 

1. [countable] the place, esp. the house, in which a person lives or resides.
2. [uncountable] the act or fact of residing.
3. [uncountable] the status of a legal resident.

See -sid-.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

res•i•dence  (rez′i dəns), n. 

1. the place, esp. the house, in which a person lives or resides;
   dwelling place;
   home:
   Their residence is in New York City.
2. a structure serving as a dwelling or home, esp. one of large proportion and superior quality:
   They have a summer residence in Connecticut.
3. the act or fact of residing:
   during his residence in Spain.
4. the act of living or staying in a specified place while performing official duties, carrying on studies or research, awaiting a divorce, etc.
5. the time during which a person resides in a place:
   a residence there of five years.
6. the location of the main offices or principal center of business activity of a commercial enterprise, esp. a large corporation, as registered under law.
7. Chemistry See residence time. 

• Medieval Latin residentia, equivalent. to Latin resid(ēre) to reside + -entia -ence
• Middle French
• Middle English 1350–1400

Synonyms

• 1. habitation, domicile.
• 1, 2. See house. 
• 2. mansion.
• 5. stay, abode, sojourn.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

residence / ˈrɛzɪdəns/ noun

1. the place in which one resides; abode or home
2. a large imposing house; mansion
3. the fact of residing in a place or a period of residing
4. in residence ⇒ actually resident: the royal standard indicates that the Queen is in residence at the palace
5. designating a creative artist resident for a set period at a university, college, etc, whose role is to stimulate an active interest in the subject: composer in residence