# residency

/ˈɹɛzɪdənsi/ (US) · /ɹˈɛzɪdənsi/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/residency
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. legal living status

noun · CEFR B2 · Formal

the fact of living in a place officially or legally.

For teachers: the legal state or condition of being a resident in a particular jurisdiction.

- She had to prove her residency in the city to get a library card.
- The applicant must provide documented evidence of continuous residency for at least five years to qualify for the permanent visa category.

Usage: Often used with 'apply for' or 'permanent'.

### 2. medical training

noun · CEFR C1 · American English · Technical

a period of specialized medical training in a hospital for a doctor.

For teachers: a stage of graduate medical education where a doctor practices medicine under supervision in a hospital.

- After finishing medical school, he started his residency in surgery.
- During her three-year residency in pediatrics, she worked eighty-hour weeks while rotating through various specialized hospital wards.

Usage: Commonly used in North American English; 'registrar' is the more common equivalent in British English.

### 3. artist or musician's contract

noun · CEFR B2

a job where an artist or musician performs regularly at one place for a long time.

For teachers: a fixed-term appointment for a creative professional, such as a musician or writer, to work or perform at a specific institution or venue.

- The famous singer has a two-year residency at a hotel in Las Vegas.
- The string quartet accepted a prestigious residency at the university, which involved both public performances and mentoring student composers.

Teaching tip: In modern music contexts, this often refers specifically to high-profile Las Vegas concert series.

## Examples

- The famous singer started a two-year residency in Las Vegas.
- After years of touring, the band accepted a residency at a local jazz club to work on new material.
- The electronic artist's summer residency at the club allowed them to experiment with immersive soundscapes that would be impossible to transport on a traditional international tour.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.