residency

residency — noun

1. the official status that lets a person stay in a particular country or area for

1.nounB1
Definition

the official status that lets a person stay in a particular country or area for legal reasons such as work, education, or applying for citizenship

Example

Naoko applied for permanent residency in Canada after living there for five years.

collocation: permanent residency

The university checks proof of residency for students who want the lower in-state tuition rate.

collocation: proof of residency

Common collocations
  • permanent residency
  • proof of residency
  • residency status
  • residency requirements
  • residency application
  • residency documents
  • residency permit
  • residency period
Synonyms
  • residence

    Often refers to the actual building or home, not the legal status; the two overlap in some official contexts.

  • habitation

    Very formal and rarely used for legal status; more poetic or technical.

  • abode

    Literary or legal term for a home; does not carry the legal-permission meaning of residency.

Antonyms
  • deportation

    The forced removal of someone from a country, ending their residency.

  • exile

    Being forced to live away from one's home country, the opposite of being allowed to reside.

Grammar Patterns

permanent residency

residency + in + place

residency + at + institution

Usage Note

Frequently used with "permanent residency," which refers to the right to live indefinitely in a country without full citizenship. Distinguish from "residence," which more commonly refers to a physical building where someone lives.

Common Mistakes

She applied for permanent residence in Australia' (when meaning legal status).
She applied for permanent residency in Australia.
'Residence' usually means the building you live in; 'residency' is the legal status.
His residency is a big house on the hill.
His residence is a big house on the hill.
Use 'residence' for a physical home, 'residency' for the legal condition of living somewhere.

2. a period of hands-on medical training that new doctors undergo at a teaching hos

2.nounB2
Definition

a period of hands-on medical training that new doctors undergo at a teaching hospital once they have finished medical school, lasting three to seven years depending on the medical field

Example

Dr. Asher began his residency in pediatrics at a children's hospital in Chicago.

pattern: residency in [specialty]

During her residency, Dr. Maja worked twelve-hour shifts in the emergency room.

Common collocations
  • medical residency
  • residency program
  • residency training
  • residency in [specialty]
  • complete a residency
  • residency position
  • residency year
  • residency placement
Synonyms
  • internship

    A shorter, earlier stage of medical training, usually the first year after medical school, whereas residency covers multiple years.

  • fellowship

    A period of advanced sub-specialty training after a residency, narrower in focus.

  • training

    A broader term that can include residency but is not specific to the hospital-based medical context.

Grammar Patterns

residency + in + specialty

residency + at + hospital

do/complete/finish a residency

Usage Note

Commonly paired with a medical specialty using "in" (residency in surgery, residency in internal medicine). Doctors at this stage are called "residents." The length varies widely: three years for family medicine, five to seven for surgery.

Common Mistakes

Dr. Kim completed her residence at the hospital last year.
Dr. Kim completed her residency at the hospital last year.
A 'residence' is a home; medical training is a 'residency.'
She is a residency in cardiology.
She is doing a residency in cardiology.
Use 'do a residency' or 'complete a residency,' not 'be a residency.'

3. a set and limited time in which a creative worker like a painter, writer, or com

3.nounB2
Definition

a set and limited time in which a creative worker like a painter, writer, or composer is hosted by an organization that offers workspace, lodging, and funding to produce original pieces

Example

The museum offered Esteban a six-month residency to complete his series of sculptures.

collocation: six-month residency

Shanti's writing residency at the university library gave her time to finish her novel.

collocation: writing residency

Common collocations
  • artist residency
  • writing residency
  • residency program
  • residency at [institution]
  • apply for a residency
  • six-month residency
  • creative residency
Synonyms
  • fellowship

    Sometimes used interchangeably for artist programs, though 'fellowship' often emphasizes the financial grant aspect.

  • artist-in-residence

    A longer phrase for the same concept; more commonly used as a title for the person rather than the program itself.

Grammar Patterns

residency + at + institution

artist/writer residency

Usage Note

Often called an "artist residency" or "artist-in-residence program." The host institution is typically a museum, university, or cultural foundation. The period usually ranges from a few weeks to one year.

Common Mistakes

The painter won a residence at the art center.
The painter won a residency at the art center.
For creative programs, always use 'residency,' not 'residence.'
She is doing an artist residence in Tokyo.
She is doing an artist residency in Tokyo.
'Residency' is the correct noun for this type of program.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

All five words relate to living somewhere, but they differ sharply in function. "Residency" focuses on the legal or official status — it is the correct choice for immigration, taxation, and voting contexts ("permanent residency," "proof of residency"). "Residence" is more versatile: it can mean the building you live in ("a private residence") or, in formal writing, the act of living somewhere ("a residence of ten years"). "Dwelling" is a neutral, often legal or technical term for the physical structure where people live ("a single-family dwelling"). "Abode" is literary or legal, suggesting a fixed home without the bureaucratic weight of residency. "Habitation" is extremely formal and rare in everyday language — you might see it in zoning laws or poetic writing. For a learner, the key distinction is: use "residency" when you mean official permission or status; use "residence" when you mean the house or the general fact of living somewhere.

residency ↗residence ↗dwelling ↗abodehabitation ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Phrases

  • apply for residency
  • grant residency
  • obtain residency

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

Comes from the Latin verb "residēre" (to remain or stay), formed from "re-" (back/again) and "sedēre" (to sit). The word passed through French as "résidence" into English in the 1500s. The medical-training meaning appeared in early 20th-century America, based on the idea that trainee doctors "resided" in the hospital. The artist-program meaning followed in the mid-1900s.