Register vs. Registry: Know the Difference
By Shumaila Saeed || Updated on December 25, 2023
"Register" is a record or list of names or items, while "Registry" is a place or system where records are kept.
Key Differences
Register typically refers to an official list or record, such as a list of names, events, or transactions. Registry, in contrast, is the system or place where such records or lists are maintained or stored.
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Nov 18, 2023
In various contexts, Register can be a verb, meaning to record or enroll formally. Registry, however, is always a noun, referring to the actual database or office where registrations are made.
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Register often implies the act of recording or the document of records itself. Registry, on the other hand, implies the broader system, including the database, institution, or method of keeping those records.
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In computer terminology, Register refers to a small amount of fast, accessible storage within a CPU. Registry, in computing, specifically refers to a database used in Microsoft Windows to store configuration settings.
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Register can have a more dynamic nature, constantly being updated or changed, as in the case of hotel guest registers. Registry, however, often denotes a more permanent or established collection of records, like a ship registry or a wedding registry.
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Nov 18, 2023
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Comparison Chart
Definition
A record or list of names or items
A place or system for keeping records
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Usage as a Part of Speech
Can be a noun or a verb (to register)
Always a noun
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Context
Document of records or the act of recording
Database, institution, or method of keeping records
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Example in Computing
Storage within a CPU
Database in Microsoft Windows for configuration settings
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Register and Registry Definitions
Register
A book or record for keeping a list of names or events.
He signed the hotel register upon check-in.
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Nov 18, 2023
Registry
An official place or system where records are kept.
Her marriage was recorded in the civil registry.
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Register
To record or enroll formally.
She will register for the conference next week.
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Nov 18, 2023
Registry
An office where official records are kept.
The ship was listed in the international shipping registry.
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Nov 18, 2023
Register
A small, fast storage location within a computer's processor.
The CPU register temporarily holds data being processed.
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Registry
A system used to store configuration settings in Windows.
He modified the application's settings in the registry.
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Registry
A collection or database of records, often for official purposes.
The national registry contains data on all registered vehicles.
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Registry
A service for registering or recording specific types of information.
They set up a wedding registry at their favorite store.
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Register
(Computers) A part of the central processing unit used as a storage location.
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Register
An adjustable, grill-like device through which heated or cooled air is released into a room.
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Registry
A building in which things are registered or where registers are kept.
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Register
Exact alignment of the lines and margins on the opposite sides of a leaf.
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Registry
(computing) A database of configuration settings etc. maintained by the Microsoft Windows operating system.
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Oct 19, 2023
Registry
The act of recording or writing in a register; enrollment; registration.
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Register
A variety or level of language used in a specific social setting
Speaking in an informal register.
Writing in a scientific register.
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Register
To enroll officially or formally, especially in order to vote or attend classes.
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Register
To set down in writing
Registered the events of the day in his diary.
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Register
To express or make known
Registered his dissatisfaction with the chef.
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Register
To be indicated as
The earthquake registered 6.8 on the Richter scale.
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Register
To cause (mail) to be officially recorded and specially handled by payment of a fee.
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Register
To have one's name officially placed on a list of eligible voters.
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Register
To have a list of gifts for preferred wedding presents, as at a store. Used of a couple.
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Register
To be shown or expressed, as on the face
The teacher's reprimand did not register on the students' faces.
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Register
To make an impression; be recorded in the mind
The warning failed to register.
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Register
A formal recording of names, events, transactions, etc.
The teacher took the register by calling out each child's name.
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Oct 19, 2023
Register
A certificate issued by the collector of customs of a port or district to the owner of a vessel, containing the description of a vessel, its name, ownership, and other material facts. It is kept on board the vessel, to be used as evidence of nationality or as a muniment of title.
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Register
One who registers or records; a registrar; especially, a public officer charged with the duty of recording certain transactions or events.
A register of deeds
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Register
A distinct horizontal (or, more rarely, vertical) section of a work of art or inscription that is divided into several such sections.
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Register
(telecommunications) The part of a telegraphic apparatus that automatically records the message received.
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Oct 19, 2023
Register
(computing) A small unit of very fast memory that is directly accessible to the central processing unit, and is mostly used to store inputs, outputs, or intermediate results of computations.
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Register
(linguistics) A style of a language used in a particular context.
My ex-boss used "let go", in the euphemistic register, when he sacked me.
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Register
A grille at the outflow of a ventilation duct, capable of being opened and closed to direct the air flow.
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Register
(ambitransitive) To buy the full version of trial software by providing one's details and payment.
This is a trial version, and will expire in 30 days. Please register!
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Register
(intransitive) To place one's name, or have one's name placed in a register.
They registered for school.
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Oct 19, 2023
Register
(intransitive) To be in proper alignment; to align or correspond exactly.
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Register
(legal) To voluntarily sign over for safe keeping, abandoning complete ownership for partial.
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Register
A written account or entry; an official or formal enumeration, description, or record; a memorial record; a list or roll; a schedule.
As you have one eye upon my follies, . . . turn another into the register of your own.
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Oct 19, 2023
Register
A record containing a list and description of the merchant vessels belonging to a port or customs district.
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Oct 19, 2023
Register
One who registers or records; a registrar; a recorder; especially, a public officer charged with the duty of recording certain transactions or events; as, a register of deeds.
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Oct 19, 2023
Register
A lid, stopper, or sliding plate, in a furnace, stove, etc., for regulating the admission of air to the fuel; also, an arrangement containing dampers or shutters, as in the floor or wall of a room or passage, or in a chimney, for admitting or excluding heated air, or for regulating ventilation.
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Register
The compass of a voice or instrument; a specified portion of the compass of a voice, or a series of vocal tones of a given compass; as, the upper, middle, or lower register; the soprano register; the tenor register.
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Register
To enter in a register; to record formally and distinctly, as for future use or service.
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Register
To enroll; to enter in a list.
Such follow him as shall be registered.
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Register
To enter the name of the owner of (a share of stock, a bond, or other security) in a register, or record book. A registered security is transferable only on the written assignment of the owner of record and on surrender of his bond, stock certificate, or the like.
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Register
To correspond in relative position; as, two pages, columns, etc. , register when the corresponding parts fall in the same line, or when line falls exactly upon line in reverse pages, or (as in chromatic printing) where the various colors of the design are printed consecutively, and perfect adjustment of parts is necessary.
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Oct 19, 2023
Register
(music) the timbre that is characteristic of a certain range and manner of production of the human voice or of different pipe organ stops or of different musical instruments
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Oct 19, 2023
Register
(computer science) memory device that is the part of computer memory that has a specific address and that is used to hold information of a specific kind
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Register
An air passage (usually in the floor or a wall of a room) for admitting or excluding heated air from the room
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Register
A regulator (as a sliding plate) for regulating the flow of air into a furnace or other heating device
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Register
A cashbox with an adding machine to register transactions; used in shops to add up the bill
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Register
Record in writing; enter into a book of names or events or transactions
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Register
Record in a public office or in a court of law;
File for divorce
File a complaint
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Register
Be aware of;
Did you register any change when I pressed the button?
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Register
Indicate a certain reading; of gauges and instruments;
The thermometer showed thirteen degrees below zero
The gauge read `empty'
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Register
Enter into someone's consciousness;
Did this event register in your parents' minds?
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Oct 19, 2023
Register
A range or scale, as in voice or instrument.
His voice fell in the lower register.
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Nov 18, 2023
Register
A variety or level of language used in a particular context.
The formal register is appropriate for academic writing.
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Repeatedly Asked Queries
Do all businesses have a register?
Most businesses have some form of register for transactions, guests, or inventory.
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What is a domain registry?
A domain registry is a database of all domain names registered in a top-level domain.
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What is a cash register?
A cash register is a machine used in shops for processing transactions and storing money.
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How does one get on a registry?
One gets on a registry through the process of registration or enrollment.
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Is a register always physical?
No, a register can be physical or digital, like online registration forms.
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Can anyone access a public registry?
Public registries are generally accessible, but some may have restrictions.
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Are registers confidential?
Some registers, like medical records, are confidential, while others are public.
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Can a registry be digital?
Yes, registries can be digital databases storing various types of records.
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How is a register updated?
A register is updated through new entries, changes, or deletions of existing records.
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What is the purpose of a land registry?
A land registry keeps records of land ownership and property transactions.
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Is registering for an event the same as entering a registry?
Registering for an event means you're added to the event's register, which may be part of a larger registry.
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Can a registry contain historical data?
Yes, registries often contain historical data for archival and reference purposes.
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Why are registers important in business?
Registers are important for record-keeping, tracking transactions, and inventory management.
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What is a gift registry?
A gift registry is a service where individuals select and list items they wish to receive as gifts.
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Can registers be used for analysis?
Yes, data from registers can be analyzed for trends, patterns, and decision-making.
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What is a voter registry?
A voter registry is a list of individuals eligible and registered to vote in elections.
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How secure are digital registries?
Digital registries implement various security measures, but their security level can vary.
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Can one be removed from a registry?
Depending on the registry, individuals can request removal or be removed under certain conditions.
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Do registers vary by industry?
Yes, registers vary by industry, tailored to specific needs like patient registers in healthcare.
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Is a registry a legal requirement?
Some types of registries, like for births and marriages, are legal requirements.
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Nov 18, 2023
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About Author
Written by
Shumaila SaeedShumaila Saeed, an expert content creator with 6 years of experience, specializes in distilling complex topics into easily digestible comparisons, shining a light on the nuances that both inform and educate readers with clarity and accuracy.