dormitory

noun

dor·​mi·​to·​ry ˈdȯr-mə-ˌtȯr-ē How to pronounce dormitory (audio)
plural dormitories
Synonyms of dormitory
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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The area has a set of historic dormitories, a canteen and a campground that is a popular stopover for river rafters and people hiking from one rim of the Grand Canyon to the other. — Greg Norman-Diamond, FOXNews.com, 1 Sep. 2026 And in August 2018, Braeden Bradforth, 19, was found unconscious in an alley outside his dormitory after the first day of football conditioning at Garden City Community College. — Laura Bauer, Kansas City Star, 30 Aug. 2026 During the early days of the pandemic, Prem and his team dispatched medical staff to Singapore’s checkpoints for virus screening, as well as to foreign worker dormitories to care for workers who fell ill. — Angelica Ang, Fortune, 26 Aug. 2026 At the center Tuesday afternoon, about a dozen residents gathered with pets and assorted belongings as a team of volunteers worked to set up a dormitory in the center’s gymnasium. — Lillie Davidson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 26 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for dormitory

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Latin dormitorium, from dormire

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of dormitory was in the 15th century

Phrases Containing dormitory

Rhymes for dormitory

See All Rhymes for dormitory

Browse Nearby Words

dormitive
dormitory
dormitory car
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Dormitory.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dormitory. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

dormitory

noun
dor·​mi·​to·​ry ˈdȯr-mə-ˌtōr-ē How to pronounce dormitory (audio)
-ˌtȯr-
plural dormitories
1
: a sleeping room especially for several people
2
: a residence hall having many sleeping rooms

More from Merriam-Webster on dormitory

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for dormitory

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