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

Guest rooms and suites are done up in moody shades of blue, and dining options include a sunny conservatory and a clubby dining room. — Beth Luberecki, USA Today, 10 Sep. 2026

Julia Stiles did not, in fact, attend the Juilliard School—and the prestigious performing arts conservatory wants Dancing With the Stars fans to know that. — Leigh Blickley, Entertainment Weekly, 8 Sep. 2026

There’s the liberal-arts college, and then there’s the renowned music conservatory. — Jesse Dougherty, New Yorker, 5 Sep. 2026

Breakfast is at Fritz & Felix, lunch is squeezed into the Wintergarten conservatory, and dinner is either ordered to my room or eaten dressed up in the restaurants. — Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 23 Aug. 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)