What does "directory" mean?
A list of names, addresses etc, of specific classes of people or organizations, often in alphabetical order or in some classification.
Directory
adj, noun
adj, noun ·4 syllables ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A list of names, addresses etc, of specific classes of people or organizations, often in alphabetical order or in some classification.
- Grammar: directory is listed as adj, noun.
- Nearest alternatives: account, acquaintance, address book, administration.
- Useful contrasts: chaotic, confusion, disorganization.
- Usage evidence: I looked up his telephone number in a telephone directory.
How to use "directory"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "directory" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "directory" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "directory" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "directory" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "directory" is acting as adj, noun in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "account" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "directory", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A list of names, addresses etc, of specific classes of people or organizations, often in alphabetical order or in some classification.
"look up an address in the directory"
- 2 an alphabetical list of names and addresses wordnet
- 3 A structured listing of the names and characteristics of the files on a storage device.
- 4 (computer science) a listing of the files stored in memory (usually on a hard disk) wordnet
- 5 A virtual container in a computer's file system, in which files and other directories may be stored. The files and subdirectories in a directory are usually related.
Show 1 more definition
- 6 A form of government with a collegial executive whose members jointly exercise power; the executive of such a government.
"[…] at the Ufa State Conference it was it was the union's conception of a directory (rather than a dictatorship) to rule anti-Bolshevik Russia that won the day."
Adjective
- 1 Containing directions; instructing; directorial.
Synonyms
All synonymsExample
"I looked up his telephone number in a telephone directory."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "directory"?
Common synonyms include: account, acquaintance, address book, administration, advisory body, almanach de gotha.
How do you use "directory" in a sentence?
I looked up his telephone number in a telephone directory.
Etymology
Etymology 1
From Middle English directorie, dyrectorye, from Medieval Latin dīrēctōrium. By surface analysis, direct + -ory. Doublet of directorium. The political sense is a semantic loan from French directoire.
Etymology 2
From Middle English directorye, from Latin dīrēctōrius. By surface analysis, direct + -ory.