What does "rectory" mean?

Any of certain residences for clergy members.; The residence of Roman Catholic priest(s) associated with a parish church.

What is a synonym for "rectory"?

Common synonyms include: parsonage, adobe house, advowson, benefice, building, care of souls.

//ˈɹɛktəɹi// noun

noun ·Uncommon ·Advanced level

Noun

1
Any of certain residences for clergy members.; The residence of Roman Catholic priest(s) associated with a parish church.
2
an official residence provided by a church for its parson or vicar or rector wordnet
3
Any of certain residences for clergy members.; The residence of an Anglican rector.
"It was a joy to snatch some brief respite, and find himself in the rectory drawing–room. Listening here was as pleasant as talking; just to watch was pleasant. The young priests who lived here wore cassocks and birettas; their faces were fine and mild, yet really strong, like the rector's face; and in their intercourse with him and his wife they seemed to be brothers."

"The abandoned rectory is in a state of disrepair."

From Middle French rectorie, from Medieval Latin rectoria. See rector.

Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.