Address vs. Residence — What's the Difference?
Edited by Tayyaba Rehman — By Fiza Rafique — Updated on October 27, 2023
Address is the description of a location, while Residence is the place where someone lives.
Difference Between Address and Residence
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
Address and Residence are commonly interchanged in casual conversations, but they are not synonymous. An Address refers to a specific location's description, usually including street names, numbers, city, state, and sometimes country. It’s a way to pinpoint a place on a map or to direct someone to a specific location. Residence, on the other hand, is more about the place itself where someone lives. It is not just a description but a physical space.
While an Address can be for any location, be it a business, a park, or a residence, a Residence specifically denotes a living space. For instance, the address of a library tells you where to find it, but the library isn't a residence. Conversely, every residence has an address, as it's a specific location in the world.
The significance of an Address is primarily informational. When you ask for someone's address, you're seeking details on how to find or communicate with that location. When you inquire about someone's residence, you're more interested in their living conditions, the nature of their house or apartment, or the essence of their domestic life.
In legal and official contexts, distinctions between Address and Residence become especially important. For example, your mailing address might be different from your residence. You might receive mail at a P.O. Box (an address) but live in a house two miles away (a residence).
Comparison Chart
Definition
Description of a location.
Place where someone lives.
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Use Case
Can be for any location.
Specifically denotes a living space.
Significance
Primarily informational.
More about living conditions.
Context
Can be for businesses, parks, etc.
Exclusively for living spaces.
Legal Aspects
Can be separate from a residence (e.g., P.O. Box).
Usually tied to physical occupancy.
Compare with Definitions
Address
To direct one's attention or efforts towards something.
We need to address this issue immediately.
Residence
A large house or mansion.
The grand residence atop the hill belonged to the duke.
Address
An address is a collection of information, presented in a mostly fixed format, used to give the location of a building, apartment, or other structure or a plot of land, generally using political boundaries and street names as references, along with other identifiers such as house or apartment numbers and organization name. Some addresses also contain special codes, such as a postal code, to make identification easier and aid in the routing of mail.
Residence
The official house of a government official or dignitary.
The ambassador's residence was a hub of many diplomatic events.
Address
The particulars of the place where someone lives or an organization is situated
They exchanged addresses and agreed to keep in touch
Residence
The act of dwelling in a place.
His residence in the town spans over three decades.
Address
A formal speech delivered to an audience
An address to the European Parliament
Residence
A place where someone lives.
The mayor's residence is located downtown.
Address
Skill, dexterity, or readiness
He rescued me with the most consummate address
Residence
Legal domicile or the fact of living in a place.
She established her residence in California two years ago.
Address
Write the name and address of the intended recipient on (an envelope, letter, or parcel)
I addressed my letter to him personally
Residence
A residence is a place (normally a building) used as a home or dwelling, where people reside.
Address
Speak to (a person or an assembly)
She addressed the open-air meeting
Residence
A person's home, especially a large and impressive one
The youth hostel has been adapted from a private residence
Address
Think about and begin to deal with (an issue or problem)
A fundamental problem has still to be addressed
Residence
The place in which one lives; a dwelling.
Address
Take up one's stance and prepare to hit (the ball)
Ensure that your weight is evenly spread when you address the ball
Residence
The act or a period of residing in a place.
Address
To speak to
Addressed me in low tones.
Residence
A medical residency.
Address
To make a formal speech to
Addressed the union members at the convention.
Residence
The official home or location of a corporation.
Address
To call (a person to whom one is speaking) by a particular name or term
Address the judge as "Your Honor.".
Residence
The place where one lives (resides); one's home.
Address
To direct (a spoken or written message) to the attention of
Address a protest to the faculty senate.
Residence
A building or portion thereof used as a home, such as a house#Noun or an apartment#Noun therein.
Address
To mark with a destination
Address a letter.
Residence
The place where a corporation is established.
Address
To direct the efforts or attention of (oneself)
Address oneself to a task.
Residence
The state of living in a particular place or environment.
Address
To begin to deal with
Addressed the issue of taxes.
Residence
Accommodation for students at a university or college.
Address
To dispatch or consign (a ship, for example) to an agent or factor.
Residence
The place where anything rests permanently.
Address
(Sports) To adjust and aim the club at (a golf ball) in preparing for a stroke.
Residence
Subsidence, as of a sediment
Address
A description of the location of a person or organization, as written or printed on mail as directions for delivery
Wrote the address on the envelope.
Residence
That which falls to the bottom of liquors; sediment; also, refuse; residuum.
Address
The location at which a particular organization or person may be found or reached
Went to her address but no one was home.
Residence
(espionage) rezidentura
Address
A name or a sequence of characters that designates an email account or a specific site on the internet or other network.
Residence
The act or fact of residing, abiding, or dwelling in a place for some continuance of time; as, the residence of an American in France or Italy for a year.
The confessor had often made considerable residences in Normandy.
Address
A name or number used in information storage or retrieval assigned to or identifying a specific memory location.
Residence
The place where one resides; an abode; a dwelling or habitation; esp., a settled or permanent home or domicile.
Johnson took up his residence in London.
Address
A formal speech or written communication.
Residence
The residing of an incumbent on his benefice; - opposed to nonresidence.
Address
Often addresses Courteous attentions.
Residence
The place where anything rests permanently.
But when a king sets himself to bandy against the highest court and residence of all his regal power, he then, . . . fights against his own majesty and kingship.
Address
The manner or bearing of a person, especially in conversation.
Residence
Subsidence, as of a sediment.
Address
Skill, deftness, or grace in dealing with people or situations
"With the charms of beauty she combined the address of an accomplished intriguer" (Charles Merivale).
Residence
That which falls to the bottom of liquors; sediment; also, refuse; residuum.
Address
Direction.
Residence
Any address at which you dwell more than temporarily;
A person can have several residences
Address
(obsolete) Guidance; help.
Residence
The official house or establishment of an important person (as a sovereign or president);
He refused to live in the governor's residence
Address
A polite approach made to another person, especially of a romantic nature; an amorous advance.
Residence
The act of dwelling in a place
Address
A manner of speaking or writing to another; language, style.
A man of pleasing or insinuating address
Residence
A large and imposing house
Address
A formal approach to a sovereign, especially an official appeal or petition; later specifically a response given by each of the Houses of Parliament to the sovereign's speech at the opening of Parliament.
Address
An act of addressing oneself to a person or group; a discourse or speech, or a record of this.
Address
A description of the location of a property, usually with at least a street name and number, name of a town, and now also a postal code; such a description as superscribed for direction on an envelope or letter.
The President's address is 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C.
Address
(by extension) The property itself.
I went to his address but there was nobody there.
Address
(computing) A number identifying a specific storage location in computer memory; a string of characters identifying a location on the internet or other network; sometimes specifically an e-mail address.
The program will crash if there is no valid data stored at that address.
Address
Preparation.
Address
Preparedness for some task; resourcefulness; skill, ability.
Address
(obsolete) The act of getting ready; preparation.
Address
The act of bringing the head of the club up to the ball in preparation for swinging.
Address
To prepare oneself.
Address
To direct speech.
Address
To aim; to direct.
Address
To prepare or make ready.
Address
To prepare oneself; to apply one's skill or energies (to some object); to betake.
Address
(reflexive) To direct one’s remarks (to someone).
Address
To clothe or array; to dress.
Address
(transitive) To direct, as words (to anyone or anything); to make, as a speech, petition, etc. (to any audience).
He addressed some portions of his remarks to his supporters, some to his opponents.
Address
(transitive) To direct speech to; to make a communication to, whether spoken or written; to apply to by words, as by a speech, petition, etc., to speak to.
Address
(transitive) To direct in writing, as a letter; to superscribe, or to direct and transmit.
He addressed a letter.
Address
(transitive) To make suit to as a lover; to court; to woo.
Address
(transitive) To consign or entrust to the care of another, as agent or factor.
The ship was addressed to a merchant in Baltimore.
Address
(transitive) To address oneself to; to prepare oneself for; to apply oneself to; to direct one's speech, discourse or efforts to.
Address
To direct attention towards a problem or obstacle, in an attempt to resolve it.
Address
To refer to a location in computer memory.
Address
To get ready to hit (the ball on the tee).
Address
To aim; to direct.
And this good knight his way with me addrest.
Address
To prepare or make ready.
His foe was soon addressed.
Turnus addressed his men to single fight.
The five foolish virgins addressed themselves at the noise of the bridegroom's coming.
Address
Reflexively: To prepare one's self; to apply one's skill or energies (to some object); to betake.
These men addressed themselves to the task.
Address
To clothe or array; to dress.
Tecla . . . addressed herself in man's apparel.
Address
To direct, as words (to any one or any thing); to make, as a speech, petition, etc. (to any one, an audience).
The young hero had addressed his players to him for his assistance.
Address
To direct speech to; to make a communication to, whether spoken or written; to apply to by words, as by a speech, petition, etc., to speak to; to accost.
Are not your orders to address the senate?
The representatives of the nation addressed the king.
Address
To direct in writing, as a letter; to superscribe, or to direct and transmit; as, he addressed a letter.
Address
To make suit to as a lover; to court; to woo.
Address
To consign or intrust to the care of another, as agent or factor; as, the ship was addressed to a merchant in Baltimore.
Address
To prepare one's self.
Address
To direct speech.
Young Turnus to the beauteous maid addrest.
Address
Act of preparing one's self.
Address
Act of addressing one's self to a person; verbal application.
Address
A formal communication, either written or spoken; a discourse; a speech; a formal application to any one; a petition; a formal statement on some subject or special occasion; as, an address of thanks, an address to the voters.
Address
Direction or superscription of a letter, or the name, title, and place of residence of the person addressed.
Address
Manner of speaking to another; delivery; as, a man of pleasing or insinuating address.
Address
Attention in the way one's addresses to a lady.
Address
Skill; skillful management; dexterity; adroitness.
Address
(computer science) the code that identifies where a piece of information is stored
Address
The place where a person or organization can be found or communicated with
Address
The act of delivering a formal spoken communication to an audience;
He listened to an address on minor Roman poets
Address
The manner of speaking to another individual;
He failed in his manner of address to the captain
Address
A sign in front of a house or business carrying the conventional form by which its location is described
Address
Written directions for finding some location; written on letters or packages that are to be delivered to that location
Address
The stance assumed by a golfer in preparation for hitting a golf ball
Address
Social skill
Address
Speak to;
He addressed the crowd outside the window
Address
Give a speech to;
The chairman addressed the board of trustees
Address
Put an address on (an envelope, for example)
Address
Direct a question at someone
Address
Address or apply oneself to something, direct one's efforts towards something, such as a question
Address
Greet, as with a prescribed form, title, or name;
He always addresses me with `Sir'
Call me Mister
She calls him by first name
Address
Access or locate by address
Address
Deal with verbally or in some form of artistic expression;
This book deals with incest
The course covered all of Western Civilization
The new book treats the history of China
Address
Speak to someone
Address
Adjust and aim (a golf ball) at in preparation fo hitting
Address
A specific location's description.
Can you give me the address of the nearest post office?
Address
The manner of speaking or writing to someone.
Her address to the younger audience was both kind and informative.
Address
To label or mark a package for shipment.
Please address the parcel to Mr. John Doe.
Common Curiosities
Is the legal concept of domicile the same as residence?
Not always. Domicile is a legal concept indicating a person's primary residence, but one can have multiple residences.
Can a residence have multiple addresses?
Yes, large residences or complexes might have multiple entrance addresses.
Do all residences have an address?
Generally, yes, every residence should have an address to pinpoint its location.
Is a P.O. Box considered a residence?
No, a P.O. Box is an address for receiving mail, not a residence.
Is every address a residence?
No, an address can be for any location, but a residence is specifically a place where someone lives.
Can an address refer to a digital location?
Yes, in modern contexts, an "address" can also refer to email or IP addresses.
Is residence duration the same as the lease duration?
Not necessarily. Residence duration is how long someone lives somewhere, while a lease duration is the contract term for rented property.
Can the word 'address' be used as a verb?
Yes, 'address' can mean to direct speech or written communication.
What determines my primary residence?
Primary residence is usually determined by where one spends the most time, registers for legal documents, or claims tax benefits.
Can a business have a residence?
Businesses have addresses, not residences. However, a home-based business can have the same address as a residence.
Can I have multiple residences?
Yes, one can have multiple places of residence, like a summer home and a city apartment.
Do all countries view residence and address the same way?
No, legal and cultural definitions might vary across countries.
Can an address be temporary?
Yes, addresses like those for hotel rooms or temporary housing are considered temporary.
Is a residence always a physical space?
Yes, a residence refers to a tangible place where someone lives.
How does changing my address affect my residence status?
Changing an address might or might not change residence status, depending on the nature and duration of the move.
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Written by
Fiza RafiqueFiza Rafique is a skilled content writer at AskDifference.com, where she meticulously refines and enhances written pieces. Drawing from her vast editorial expertise, Fiza ensures clarity, accuracy, and precision in every article. Passionate about language, she continually seeks to elevate the quality of content for readers worldwide.
Edited by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
