rectory

noun

rec·​to·​ry ˈrek-t(ə-)rē How to pronounce rectory (audio)
plural rectories
Synonyms of rectorynext
1
: a benefice held by a rector
2
: a residence of a rector or a parish priest

Examples of rectory in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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This means a daily morning and midday Mass, on top of Sunday services, 13 confession times a week, and a treasured personal life on the third floor of the rectory, which has been his home for two decades. Hannah Brueske, Twin Cities, 31 May 2026 The rectory of Milan’s Convent of Santa Maria delle Grazie is the site of what world-famous work of the Renaissance? Drew Goins, The Atlantic, 14 May 2026 The property was once a 19th-century Catholic school and church campus, complete with a rectory and nunnery, and each room has a rotary phone and other touches of the not-so-distant past. Kate Kassin, Bon Appetit Magazine, 13 Apr. 2026 The property also comes with a guesthouse — the former rectory — which has been reconfigured as a two-bedroom, one-bath ADU-ish bonus. Clio Chang, Curbed, 19 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for rectory

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of rectory was in the 15th century

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Cite this Entry

“Rectory.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rectory. Accessed 13 Jun. 2026.

Kids Definition

rectory

noun
rec·​to·​ry ˈrek-t(ə-)rē How to pronounce rectory (audio)
plural rectories
: a residence of a rector or a parish priest

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