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

The women, dressed and ready, form a line outside their dormitories, where a staff sergeant waits to inspect them. —Aeyliya Husain, Foreign Affairs, 17 Aug. 2014

The dormitory opened in 1964 and will house nearly 500 students. —Haadiza Ogwude, The Enquirer, 24 June 2024

The university, according to its petition, proposes renovating its freshman dormitories, Brandt and Wehrenberg halls, as part of its strategic plan. —Amy Lavalley, Chicago Tribune, 7 June 2024

Jackson State College in Mississippi: Racial Injustice in 1970 Days after the shootings at Kent State, police opened gunfire at a college dormitory Jackson State College in Mississippi, a school with a predominantly Black student population. —Kayla Jimenez, USA TODAY, 28 Apr. 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