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noun C1 Advanced Uncommon

conservatory

kuhn-SUR-vuh-tree

Conservatory (noun) means a glass-walled room attached to a house, used for growing plants or as a sitting room. Example: “They had breakfast in the conservatory overlooking the garden.”

noun
1
A glass-walled room attached to a house, used for growing plants or as a sitting room.
"They had breakfast in the conservatory overlooking the garden."
2
A school specialising in music, drama, or another performing art.
"She trained at a prestigious music conservatory in Vienna."
3
A large greenhouse used to display or grow plants.
"The botanical garden's conservatory houses rare orchids."

How to use conservatory

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishA glass room for plants, or a specialist school for music or drama.

Common mistake

Don't confuse with "conservatoire," the French-derived term more common in Europe for a music/drama school — both are used, but "conservatory" is more standard in American English.

Word forms

more conservatory comparative, conservatories plural, conservatories plural, most conservatory superlative

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Fill the gap

Can you complete this real example?

They had breakfast in the _____ overlooking the garden.

Etymology

From conserve plus -atory, following the pattern of Latin-derived English words describing a place for preserving or cultivating something.

Origin: Latin

hothouse conservatoire indoor garden

Related words

Rhymes for conservatory

See all rhymes for conservatory →

Frequently asked questions

What does “conservatory” mean?

The word “conservatory” means a glass-walled room attached to a house, used for growing plants or as a sitting room. In plain terms, a glass room for plants, or a specialist school for music or drama.

How do you pronounce “conservatory”?

“Conservatory” is pronounced kuhn-SUR-vuh-tree (/kənˈsɝ.vəˌt(ɔ.)ɹi/ in IPA).

How do you use “conservatory” in a sentence?

Here is “conservatory” used in a sentence: “They had breakfast in the conservatory overlooking the garden.”

What part of speech is “conservatory”?

“Conservatory” is a noun.

Where does the word “conservatory” come from?

The word “conservatory” comes from Latin. From conserve plus -atory, following the pattern of Latin-derived English words describing a place for preserving or cultivating something.

Is “conservatory” a common word?

“Conservatory” is an uncommon word in modern English, usually learned at around the C1 level.

How many meanings does “conservatory” have?

“Conservatory” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a glass-walled room attached to a house, used for growing plants or as a sitting room.

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Definitions: FreeDict original editorial