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

In the unit, which can house only a small group of detainees, the beds are clustered together dormitory-style, and there are no pillows. —Diego Lasarte, New Yorker, 21 Apr. 2026

An administrative leader at the Odesa National Music Academy, a higher education music academy in the city, said that one of the halls in a dormitory was badly damaged. —Daria Tarasova-Markina, CNN Money, 16 Apr. 2026

The two of them met freshman year in their dormitory at the University of Pennsylvania. —Maxwell Adler, Vanity Fair, 16 Apr. 2026

On the drive back to her dormitory, Daisy sees that the florist’s shop has been ransacked. —Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 15 Apr. 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
• extempore
• feudatory
• gustatory

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