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vacancy

n.
US //ˈveɪkənsi// UK //vˈeɪkənsi// va·can·cy
  1. 1 job opening (n.)
    B1 Intermediate

    a job or position that is available for someone to start.

    an unoccupied position or post within an organisation that is available to be filled.

    Example

    The company has a vacancy for a junior designer in the marketing department.

    Example

    Following the sudden resignation of the chief financial officer, the board moved quickly to advertise the vacancy in several international journals.
  2. 2 available room (n.)
    B1 Intermediate

    a room in a hotel or guest house that is not being used.

    available accommodation in a hotel, boarding house, or similar establishment.

    Example

    We were lucky to find a hotel with a vacancy so late at night.

    Example

    The neon sign outside the motel flickered, switching from 'No Vacancy' to 'Vacancy' as the last-minute cancellation was processed.
    • full house
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  1. 3 empty space (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    an empty area or a gap where something is missing.

    an unoccupied or empty space; a void within a larger structure.

    Example

    He stared into the vacancy of the abandoned warehouse.

    Example

    The architect utilised the vacancy between the two buildings to create a sunlit atrium that served as a communal garden.
  2. 4 lack of thought (n.)
    C1 Advanced Literary

    a state where someone is not thinking about anything or looks empty-headed.

    a state of being empty-headed or having a lack of mental concentration or intelligence.

    Example

    There was a strange vacancy in his eyes as he stared at the wall.

    Example

    The critic noted a certain vacancy in the actor's performance, suggesting a lack of emotional depth behind the polished exterior.
  3. 5 crystal defect (n.)
    C2 Proficiency Technical Science

    a tiny hole in a crystal where an atom should be but is missing.

    a point defect in a crystal lattice where an atom is missing from its regular position.

    Example

    The scientist studied how a single vacancy in the metal could change its strength.

    Example

    At high temperatures, the concentration of vacancies within the crystalline structure increases, significantly affecting the material's diffusion rate.

    Usage

    Often used in the plural when discussing material properties.
    • lattice defect
Origin

From Late Latin vacantia. Doublet of vacance.

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