registration: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
B1Formal to neutral
Quick answer
What does “registration” mean?
The act or process of recording one's name or details on an official list or database.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
The act or process of recording one's name or details on an official list or database.
The official entry or recording of information, often for purposes of identification, enrollment, legal recognition, or statistical tracking; also refers to the certificate or document confirming such entry.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Minor spelling differences in related terms (e.g., BrE 'registration number' vs. AmE 'license plate number' for vehicles). The word itself is used identically.
Connotations
In both varieties, it carries connotations of formality, bureaucracy, and official procedure.
Frequency
Equally common and high-frequency in both varieties.
Grammar
How to Use “registration” in a Sentence
registration for [event/course]registration of [item/person]registration with [authority]registration at [location/institution]Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “registration” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- You must register for the conference by Friday.
- Have you registered the birth with the local council?
American English
- You need to register to vote in the upcoming election.
- Did you register the car at the DMV?
adverb
British English
- The event was organised registrationally smooth. (Very rare/constructed)
- N/A
American English
- N/A
- N/A
adjective
British English
- Please bring your registration document to the test centre.
- The registration fee is non-refundable.
American English
- Make sure you have your registration paperwork for the inspection.
- The registration deadline is next week.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Refers to the formal incorporation of a company, trademark registration, or VAT registration.
Academic
The process by which students enroll for courses at the beginning of a semester.
Everyday
Signing up for a library card, a new website, or a doctor's surgery.
Technical
In computing, the process of activating software with a license key; in medicine, the recording of a patient's details.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “registration”
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “registration”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “registration”
- Using 'registry' interchangeably (a registry is the place or system where registrations are kept).
- Misspelling as 'registation' (dropping the 'r').
- Confusing 'registration' (process) with 'certificate of registration' (document).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is usually uncountable when referring to the process (e.g., 'Registration is easy'). It can be countable when referring to an instance or a certificate (e.g., 'Please bring all your registrations').
'Registration' is the act of registering or the document proving it. A 'registry' is the official list or database itself, or the office where registrations are kept (e.g., land registry, wedding registry).
It is a soft 'g' sound, like the 'g' in 'giant' or 'judge' (/dʒ/), not a hard 'g' as in 'go'.
No, 'registration' is only a noun. The verb form is 'to register'. You 'register' for something, and then you complete your 'registration'.
The act or process of recording one's name or details on an official list or database.
Registration is usually formal to neutral in register.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “(as) easy as filling out a registration form (rare, modern)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a REGIstration form at a hotel's RECEPTION desk. Both start with 'REG' and involve recording your details.
Conceptual Metaphor
REGISTRATION IS A GATEWAY (you must pass through it to gain access to a service, event, or status).
Practice
Quiz
In which context is 'registration' LEAST likely to be used?