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

• occupancy
• occupation
• habitation

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

Golden visa programs are sometimes considered unfair because holders of golden visas are able to purchase residency and citizenship in countries while bypassing language proficiency tests and residency requirements needed by the rest of the population. —Alex Ledsom, Forbes.com, 11 Sep. 2025

The first three editions ended with two-legged finals but that changed in 1990, with Wembley staging the Championship final ever since, apart from a seven-year residency in Cardiff while Wembley was being redeveloped. —Matt Slater, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2025

Factors like insurance status, a patient’s residency, retirement income, investment income, social security and number of dependents also can impact financial assistance even if patients are within the qualifying FPL. —Megan Garnai, IndyStar, 10 Sep. 2025

Of the countries analyzed, Global Citizen Solutions found 14 offer a path to permanent residency and three offer a direct path to citizenship. —Katie Nadworny, Travel + Leisure, 10 Sep. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1579, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for residency

• presidency

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