directory

directory — noun

1. An organized collection of names and contact information of people, businesses,

1.nounB1
Definition

An organized collection of names and contact information of people, businesses, or organizations, arranged so that a specific entry can be found quickly.

Example

Tamás found a plumber in the local business directory after his kitchen pipe burst.

The directory in the hotel lobby listed nearby restaurants and their opening hours.

physical directory at a location listing services

Common collocations
  • business directory
  • telephone directory
  • online directory
  • alumni directory
  • street directory
Synonyms
  • listing

    more general — a listing can be a single entry or a short list; a directory is a complete collection.

  • catalog

    usually describes products or items for sale, not contact information.

  • register

    implies an official record kept for legal or administrative purposes.

Usage Note

Often used in compound nouns describing the type of directory: telephone directory, business directory, employee directory, alumni directory.

Common Mistakes

I looked up the number in the dictionary.
I looked up the number in the directory.
A dictionary explains word meanings; a directory lists names and contact details.

2. A labeled space on a computer or other device where files, programs, and folders

2.nounB1
Definition

A labeled space on a computer or other device where files, programs, and folders can be kept in an organized structure.

Example

Elena saved the holiday photos in a new directory named 'Italy Trip'.

Mei created a directory for each client, then stored their invoices and contracts inside.

creation + storage: created a directory, then stored [files] inside

Common collocations
  • root directory
  • home directory
  • working directory
  • shared directory
  • directory path
Synonyms
  • folder

    more common in graphical user interfaces; directory is the traditional computing term, especially in command-line environments.

  • subdirectory

    a directory that sits inside another directory.

Usage Note

On most systems, directories form a tree-like structure. The top-level container is called the root directory. Directories can contain other directories (called subdirectories).

Common Mistakes

I saved the file to a new folder called directory.
I saved the file to a new directory called Reports.
A directory is a type of container; you name it after its content, not after the word 'directory'.

directory — adjective

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Directory, catalog, register, and listing all refer to organized collections of information, but they differ in what they typically contain. A directory focuses on people, organizations, and their contact details — for example, a telephone directory lists names and phone numbers. A catalog describes items available for purchase, reference, or loan, such as a library catalog or a product catalog. A register is an official record kept for administrative or legal purposes, like a voter register or a hotel guest register. A listing is the broadest and most informal term — it can refer to a single entry ('a job listing') or a short collection. Use directory when the information is organized for lookup of contacts; use catalog when items and their descriptions are the main focus.

directory ↗catalog ↗register ↗listing ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

  • directory listing
  • directory structure
  • directory path
  • directory name

Phrases

  • look up in a directory
  • search a directory
  • create a directory
  • save to a directory

Prepositions

  • in a directory
  • under a directory
  • from a directory

Etymology

LatinOld FrenchEnglish

Directory comes from Latin 'directorius', meaning 'guiding' or 'directing', which itself comes from 'dirigere' (to direct or guide). The word entered English through Old French 'directorie' in the 1400s. Its earliest English meaning was a book of rules or guidance; by the 1700s it was also used for a list of names and addresses. The modern computer sense — a container for files — appeared in the 1960s with the development of file systems.