The word Presidency is often used to describe the collective administrative and governmental entity that exists around an office of president of a state or nation.

For example, in a republic with a presidential system of government, the presidency represents the executive branch of government, and is personified by a single elected man or woman who holds the office of "president". In pratice, it includes a much larger collective of people, such as chiefs of staff, advisors and other burecrats.

Other states and organizations may have other systems, such as a collective presidency. The presidency of the European Union is held on a rotating basis by the various national governments of the member states. The presidency of British crown colonies is held by the office of the United Kingdom colonial secretary.

The term is also sometimes used to describe a period in office of an individual office-holder. For example, the presidency of Richard Nixon.

The presidency may also refer to the holder of a non-governmental office of president in a corporation, business, charity, university, etc or to the institutional arrangement around them. For example "the presidency refused to support his idea."

For details of individual presidencies, see the page of an individual office-holder.

For information on the general office of president, and of the presidents of individual countries, see President.

Older Meaning

The older meaning of the word "presidency" is that of a town or city which was placed in a governing role over other cities and of a territory. Presidency towns and cities existed in the Spanish American Empire and in the British Indian Empire. Presidencies then developed into provinces. In British India, three presidencies dominated: Bengal, Madras and Bombay.

Also see http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=presidency