repository
/rɪˈpɒzətri/ (bre, ipa) · /rɪˈpɑːzətɔːri/ (ame, ipa) · /ri-ˈpä-zə-ˌtȯr-ē/ (ame, mw)
repository — noun
- repositorysingular
- repositoriesplural
1. a place, container, or system used for keeping things safe so they can be found
a place, container, or system used for keeping things safe so they can be found and used when needed — for example, a library holding rare manuscripts, a computer folder storing project files, or a warehouse protecting furniture and machinery
The university library serves as a repository for rare historical documents and manuscripts.
serves as a repository for + specific items
Bao uploaded the project files to an online repository for the team to access.
online repository (digital context)
The abandoned warehouse became a repository for old furniture and broken machinery.
The national archive is the main repository for government records from the past century.
Mizuki visited the natural history museum, which serves as a repository for thousands of fossil specimens.
- depository
more specific to formal safekeeping of valuable items such as money or legal documents
- archive
specifically for historical records or documents organized for long-term preservation
- storehouse
more concrete and everyday; can refer to any building or room where things are kept
- vault
suggests high security, typically for money, valuables, or confidential files
文法句型
a repository of + noun phrase
serve as a repository for + noun phrase
用法筆記
Commonly followed by 'of' to name the contents (a repository of knowledge) or 'for' to name the purpose/system (a repository for shared files). Frequently modifies both physical places (library, warehouse, vault) and digital systems (database, code archive, cloud folder).
常見錯誤
2. a person or thing that contains a great depth of knowledge or information on a p
a person or thing that contains a great depth of knowledge or information on a particular subject — such as an expert who remembers every detail of a town's history, or a reference book packed with useful facts
The old librarian was a living repository of local history and could answer any question.
living repository of + subject field
Lara's travel journal is a repository of useful tips for visiting Southeast Asia.
Eli considers his grandfather a repository of wisdom gained from decades of farming.
The encyclopedia on the shelf was a repository of scientific knowledge from the 1950s.
- mine
more informal and vivid — a mine of information suggests rich, extractable knowledge
- treasure trove
emphasizes value and discoverability — a treasure trove of facts
- source
neutral and everyday; the simplest choice for 'person who provides information'
文法句型
a repository of + abstract noun (knowledge, wisdom, information)
用法筆記
This sense is always figurative — the 'repository' is not a physical container but a source of information. When applied to a person, it often carries admiration (a repository of wisdom). 'Living repository' is a common collocation. Distinguish from sense 1 (STORAGE), which refers to a literal place or system for keeping objects.
常見錯誤
repository — adjective
- repositorypositive
- more repositorycomparative
- most repositorysuperlative
1. describing a drug or treatment that is designed to release its active substance
describing a drug or treatment that is designed to release its active substance slowly into the body over an extended period, so that a single dose works for weeks or months instead of hours — used mainly for injections, implants, or skin patches
The doctor prescribed a repository injection that would control symptoms for a whole month.
repository injection (collocation with injection)
Henrik received a repository form of the vaccine that provides immunity for several years.
Unlike standard pills, this repository drug slowly releases medication over many weeks.
Cyrus switched to a repository implant that only needs replacing once every six months.
- long-acting
the common, everyday alternative understood by non-specialists
- slow-release
focuses on the mechanism of gradual dispersal over time
- extended-release
specific pharmaceutical term often abbreviated ER on drug labels
- immediate-release
a drug designed to act rapidly after administration, opposite of slow-release
文法句型
repository + noun (injection, drug, implant, medication)
用法筆記
Restricted almost exclusively to medical and pharmaceutical contexts. You will most often see it paired with 'injection' or 'drug' (repository injection, repository drug). In everyday English, 'long-acting' or 'slow-release' are more common alternatives. This sense is not used for non-medical prolonged action (e.g., a long-lasting battery would not be called a 'repository battery').