dormitory

noun

dor·​mi·​to·​ry ˈdȯr-mə-ˌtȯr-ē 

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

Welby attended camps run by Smyth in the late 1970s, first as a camper and then as a dormitory officer. —Arion McNicoll, The Week Uk, theweek, 13 Nov. 2024

An Aleppo University employee, speaking anonymously for security reasons, confirmed that an artillery shell hit the second floor of a dormitory with students inside at the time. —Mostafa Salem, CNN, 29 Nov. 2024

The South Korean ceremony took place at a former dormitory near the Sado mines, which have been operational since the 16th century and were designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in July. —Tom Rogers, Newsweek, 25 Nov. 2024

Four construction projects on campus, including a dormitory with 405 beds, will be complete in two years. —Ira Porter, The Christian Science Monitor, 22 Nov. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Latin dormitorium, from dormire

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing dormitory

• dormitory town

Kids Definition

dormitory

noun

dor·​mi·​to·​ry ˈdȯr-mə-ˌtōr-ē 

-ˌtȯr-

plural dormitories

1

: a sleeping room especially for several people

2

: a residence hall having many sleeping rooms