noun
Uncommon
registry
REHD-zhihst-ree
Registry (noun) means an official record or list, or the office that keeps it. Example: “They got married at the local registry office.”
noun
1
An official record or list, or the office that keeps it.
"They got married at the local registry office."
"The registry holds a copy of every birth in the district."
"You must apply to the land registry to prove you own the house."
2
In Windows, the central database that stores system and program configuration settings.
"A bad driver install had left junk entries in the registry."
"Editing the registry by hand can stop your computer starting properly."
"The installer added a new key to the registry automatically."
How to use registry
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishAn official record book or office — or, on a Windows PC, the hidden settings database the operating system relies on.
Common pairings
registry office
wedding registry
Windows registry
edit the registry
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Word forms
- Plural
- registries
Fill the gap
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They got married at the local _____ office.
Etymology
A variant of the older word registery, ultimately from register plus the suffix -ery/-y.
Related words
Rhymes for registry
See all rhymes for registry →Frequently asked questions
What does “registry” mean?
The word “registry” means an official record or list, or the office that keeps it. In plain terms, an official record book or office — or, on a Windows PC, the hidden settings database the operating system relies on.
How do you pronounce “registry”?
“Registry” is pronounced REHD-zhihst-ree (/ˈɹɛd͡ʒɪstɹi/ in IPA).
How do you use “registry” in a sentence?
Here is “registry” used in a sentence: “They got married at the local registry office.”
What part of speech is “registry”?
“Registry” is a noun.
Is “registry” a common word?
“Registry” is an uncommon word in modern English.
How many meanings does “registry” have?
“Registry” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: an official record or list, or the office that keeps it.
What is the difference between a registry and a database?
A registry is specifically an official record or list, or the office that maintains it, often used for legal or administrative purposes such as births, marriages, or businesses. A database is a broader technical term for any organized collection of data that can be searched and updated, and a registry can be one type of database. In computing, "registry" also has a specific meaning as the central configuration store in Windows.
What is the difference between the Windows registry and a config file?
The Windows registry is a single central database that stores system and program configuration settings for the whole operating system. A config file, by contrast, is a separate file used by an individual program to store its own settings outside the registry. Windows relies on the registry as a unified store, while many other systems use scattered config files instead.
When is registry used to mean an office rather than a list?
Registry refers to an office when the context is about the physical or administrative body that keeps official records, as in "visit the registry to file the document." It refers to a list or record when the context is about the data itself, as in "the marriage was entered in the registry."
