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

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

Congested dormitories, a lack of emergency exits and insufficient firefighting equipment have often contributed to loss of life and extensive damage. —ABC News, 12 June 2026

Some took place in dormitories on campus, examining quiet moments between friends or lovers—even these inward-looking stories weren’t spared bloodshed that year. —Literary Hub, 10 June 2026

The contractor cleaned the dormitories weekly rather than daily as required, resulting in unsanitary conditions. —Michael Biesecker, Fortune, 9 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