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

At least one person was killed, and 15 were wounded in Kyiv, where residential buildings, warehouses, a supermarket, and a dormitory were damaged, Mayor Vitali Klitschko said on Telegram on Sunday. — Anniek Bao,lim Hui Jie, CNBC, 20 July 2026

His son, Henry, went on to bankroll dormitories on Molokai, using a fortune founded on sugar cane. — Literary Hub, 20 July 2026

The strikes sparked fires in five districts of the city, damaging residential buildings, office and industrial sites, a dormitory and vehicles, according to Ukraine’s State Emergency Service. — ABC News, 19 July 2026

Ballistic missile strikes are more frequent The strikes on Kyiv sparked fires in five districts, damaging residential buildings, office and industrial sites, a dormitory and vehicles, according to Ukraine’s State Emergency Service. — Los Angeles Times, 19 July 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