Di*rect"o*ry (?), a. [L. directorius.] Containing directions; enjoining; instructing; directorial.

Di*rect"o*ry, n.; pl. Directories (&?;). 1. A collection or body of directions, rules, or ordinances; esp., a book of directions for the conduct of worship; as, the Directory used by the nonconformists instead of the Prayer Book.

2. A book containing the names and residences of the inhabitants of any place, or of classes of them; an address book; as, a business directory.

3. [Cf. F. directoire.] A body of directors; board of management; especially, a committee which held executive power in France under the first republic.

4. Direction; guide. [R.] Whitlock.

• A list of names, addresses etc., of specific classes of people or organizations, often in alphabetical order or in some classification.
  
• (computing): A structured listing of the names and characteristics of the files on a storage device.
  
• (computing): A simulated folder in a personal computer's file system, in which related files may be organized.