dormitory
DAW-mih-tree
Dormitory (noun) means a large room or building with many beds, used for communal sleeping, especially by students. Example: “She spent her first year of university living in a noisy dormitory.”
noun
1
A large room or building with many beds, used for communal sleeping, especially by students.
"She spent her first year of university living in a noisy dormitory."
"The hostel dormitory slept up to twelve backpackers a night."
2
A suburb or town whose residents mostly commute elsewhere for work.
"The village had become little more than a dormitory town for commuters into the city."
How to use dormitory
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA shared sleeping space, usually in a school, hostel, or college — or, for a town, a place people just sleep in and commute from.
UK vs US
In the US, "dorm" almost always means individual college housing; in the UK, "dormitory" can also describe a whole town built mainly for commuters.
Easily confused with
Common pairings
dormitory town
shared dormitory
school dormitory
Vocabulary Flow
Build your vocabulary from words like dormitory.
Vocabulary Flow serves the next word, and the next — meaning, pronunciation and an example each time. Practice at your level, or learn English in your own language.
Start vocabulary practice
Word forms
- Plural
- dormitories
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
She spent her first year of university living in a noisy _____.
Etymology
From Latin dormitorium, "a sleeping room," from dormire, "to sleep."
Synonyms
View more →Related words
Rhymes for dormitory
See all rhymes for dormitory →Frequently asked questions
What does “dormitory” mean?
The word “dormitory” means a large room or building with many beds, used for communal sleeping, especially by students. In plain terms, a shared sleeping space, usually in a school, hostel, or college — or, for a town, a place people just sleep in and commute from.
How do you pronounce “dormitory”?
“Dormitory” is pronounced DAW-mih-tree (/ˈdɔɹ.mɪˌtɔɹ.i/ in IPA).
How do you use “dormitory” in a sentence?
Here is “dormitory” used in a sentence: “She spent her first year of university living in a noisy dormitory.”
What part of speech is “dormitory”?
“Dormitory” is a noun.
Where does the word “dormitory” come from?
The word “dormitory” comes from Latin. From Latin dormitorium, "a sleeping room," from dormire, "to sleep.".
Is “dormitory” a common word?
“Dormitory” is an uncommon word in modern English, usually learned at around the B2 level.
How many meanings does “dormitory” have?
“Dormitory” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a large room or building with many beds, used for communal sleeping, especially by students.
