What does "registry" mean?

1. (official record office) a place or office where official records and lists are kept. 2. (the act of registering) the act of putting a name or information on an official list. 3. (computer settings database) a database that stores settings and options for a computer's operating system.

How do you use "registry"?

Usually used with 'the' when referring to the Windows Registry.

registry

US //ˈɹɛdʒɪstɹi// UK //ɹˈɛdʒɪstɹi// reg·istry

1 official record office (n.)
B2 Upper Intermediate

a place or office where official records and lists are kept.

a physical or digital repository where official registers are maintained for public or legal reference.

Example

The couple went to the local registry to sign their marriage documents.

Example

The land registry provides a transparent record of property ownership, ensuring that all historical transactions are documented for legal clarity.
2 the act of registering (n.)
C1 Advanced Formal

the act of putting a name or information on an official list.

the process or act of entering information into an official register.

Example

Registry of the new ship took several weeks to complete.

Example

The formal registry of the vessel under a foreign flag allowed the company to navigate different maritime tax regulations.
- registration
- enrolment

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3 computer settings database (n.)
C1 Advanced Technical Computing

a database that stores settings and options for a computer's operating system.

a hierarchical database used by operating systems to store configuration settings for hardware, software, and user preferences.

Example

You should be careful when changing settings in the system registry.

Example

The software installer modified several keys within the Windows registry to ensure the application launched correctly upon system startup.

Usage

Usually used with 'the' when referring to the Windows Registry.
- database
- configuration