dormitory

noun

dor·​mi·​to·​ry ˈdȯr-mə-ˌtȯr-ē How to pronounce dormitory (audio)
plural dormitories
1
: a room for sleeping
especially : a large room containing numerous beds
2
: a residence hall providing rooms for individuals or for groups usually without private baths
3
chiefly British : a residential community inhabited chiefly by commuters

Examples of dormitory in a Sentence

Guests at the camp can stay in private cabins or for a smaller fee in the dormitories.
Recent Examples on the Web Soon after the call came in about the fight, a separate report was made involving a female being on the ground near another one of the school's dormitories, according to Johnson. Jonathan Limehouse, USA TODAY, 8 May 2024 Responding officers found De Silva near the school's Warren-Franklin dormitory with a gunshot wound to the head, per CBS. Chris Barilla, Peoplemag, 7 May 2024 See all Example Sentences for dormitory 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'dormitory.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Latin dormitorium, from dormire

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of dormitory was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near dormitory

Cite this Entry

“Dormitory.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dormitory. Accessed 19 May. 2024.

Kids Definition

dormitory

noun
dor·​mi·​to·​ry ˈdȯr-mə-ˌtōr-ē How to pronounce dormitory (audio)
-ˌtȯr-
plural dormitories
1
: a sleeping room especially for several people
2
: a residence hall having many sleeping rooms
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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