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

Kenya’s deadliest school fire in recent history occurred in 2001 when 67 students died in a dormitory fire in Machakos County. — ABC News, 23 June 2026

While attending Carnegie Mellon University in 1996, Baer launched his first startup in his dormitory, according to his LinkedIn profile. — Sam Gillette, PEOPLE, 18 June 2026

Future needs The new temporary jail is expected to provide about 100 beds across cells and dormitory-like areas. — Dylan Lysen june 16, Kansas City Star, 16 June 2026

In addition to the six lewd act counts, the suspect, Quaylin Wesley, of Vallejo, was also charged with two counts of first degree residential burglary, as the alleged crimes happened at two different times in the girl’s room at a university dormitory, the records say. — Harry Harris, Mercury News, 16 June 2026

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

Rhymes for dormitory

• allegory
• amatory
• auditory
• category
• clerestory
• crematory
• desultory
• dilatory
• excretory
• feudatory
• gustatory
• gyratory

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