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 notesIn 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.
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Word forms
- Plural
- conservatories
- Comparative
- more conservatory
- Superlative
- most conservatory
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.
Synonyms
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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.
