repository
ri-POZ-i-tor-ee
rɪˈpɒzɪtəri
A place, building, or receptacle where things are or may be stored.
Often used figuratively to describe a person or book that contains a wealth of information.
The story behind the word. From the Latin 're-' (back) and 'ponere' (to put). It is a place where things are 'put back' for safety.
Word relationships
- storehouse: Storehouse is more literal and physical; repository can be digital or abstract.
- vault: A vault is a secure, often underground storage space; a repository is any place of storage.
Commonly confused with
- archive: An archive is the collection of records; a repository is the place where they are kept.
Word family
- reposited (verb): To have placed something in a repository.
Collocations
- central repository
- digital repository
- repository of knowledge
Example sentences
- "The GitHub repository contains all the source code for the open-source project." Information technology
- "The library is a repository of the world's greatest literature." Cultural history
Memory hook
A repository is where you 're-posit' (re-place) items for the long term. A place for keeping.
When not to use
Don't use 'repository' for a temporary storage spot like a closet; it implies a more formal or significant place.
Fun facts
- The Svalbard Global Seed Vault is a famous repository designed to preserve crop diversity in case of a global catastrophe.
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