conservatory

noun

con·​ser·​va·​to·​ry kən-ˈsər-və-ˌtȯr-ē 

plural conservatories

1

: a greenhouse for growing or displaying plants

2

: a school specializing in one of the fine arts

a music conservatory

Synonyms of conservatory

• greenhouse

Examples of conservatory in a Sentence

the Peabody Conservatory of Music

the college's conservatory is entirely devoted to cultivating and displaying orchids

Recent Examples on the Web

The three-story five-bedroom has high ceilings, white oak herringbone floors, pocket doors, large windows, a chef’s kitchen, and a conservatory with views of Fishkill Creek and Mount Beacon. — The Week Us, TheWeek, 17 Aug. 2026

The move has raised hackles, however, as the annex, a former conservatory, has since 2019 been the home of La Générale, one of Paris’s first artist-run spaces. — News Desk, Artforum, 3 Aug. 2026

An elegant conservatory, a beloved aquarium known for its shimmering jade green tiles reminiscent of an underwater tavern, and the small but excellent Dossin Great Lakes Museum are a few of the treasures found here. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 31 July 2026

One is the Gardens of Golden Gate Park including the Japanese Tea Garden and Conservatory of Flowers, the oldest wood-and-glass conservatory in North America. — John Metcalfe, Mercury News, 16 July 2026

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Late Latin conservātōrium "something that preserves" (Medieval Latin, "fish pond"), from Latin conservāre "to save or keep from danger, preserve" + -tōrium, suffix of places (from neuter of -tōrius, deverbal adjective suffix originally forming derivatives from agent nouns ending in -tōr-, -tor); (sense 2) after Italian conservatorio, originally denoting a home for foundlings and orphans who were given a musical education — more at conserve entry 1

First Known Use

1664, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

conservatory

noun

con·​ser·​va·​to·​ry kən-ˈsər-və-ˌtōr-ē 

-ˌtȯr-

plural conservatories

1

: a greenhouse for growing or displaying plants

2

: a place of instruction in some special study (as music)