residence
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
a house or apartment where someone lives, especially a large or impressive one.
a person's home; specifically, a building or part of a building used as a dwelling. Often carries a formal or prestigious connotation.
Simple“The prime minister's official residence is located in the center of the city.”
In context“The historic estate served as the family's primary residence for over three centuries before being converted into a public museum.”
UsageOften used with 'official' or 'private'.
- 02 C1 Advanced
the legal right or fact of living in a particular place or country.
the fact or status of living in a particular place, often for legal, tax, or immigration purposes.
Simple“You must prove five years of residence in the country to apply for a passport.”
In context“The applicant was required to provide utility bills and bank statements as evidence of continuous residence within the jurisdiction.”
UsageUncountable in this legal sense.
- 03 B2 Upper Intermediate
a building where students live while studying at a university.
accommodation provided for students at a college or university, often referred to as a hall of residence.
Simple“Most first-year students choose to live in a hall of residence on campus.”
In context“The university is investing in a new hall of residence to accommodate the growing number of international postgraduates.”
Teacher's tipIn British English, 'hall of residence' is the standard term, whereas American English typically uses 'dormitory' or 'dorm'.
“Defence Minister Sadio Camara was killed in a bombing at his residence in Kati.”
“Officers arrived at the residence and “located the two victims dead inside” shortly after 6.30pm, according to the district attorney.”
Inherited from Middle English residence, from Old French residence, from Medieval Latin residentia, from residēns, present participle of resideō, equivalent to reside + -ence.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.