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.
Federal investigators say the incident happened in March inside a dormitory at the campus in Manhattan. — Alice Gainer, CBS News, 16 Oct. 2026 Billionaire hedge fund executive Ken Griffin is putting up $2 billion to fund the 35-acre college campus, which will bring classrooms, labs and dormitories to the area. — Catherine Odom, Miami Herald, 12 Oct. 2026 More than 300 men sleep each night in cavernous dormitories lined with rows of metal beds at Schwartz Men’s Shelter on Wards Island. — Jeffrey Ginsburg, New York Daily News, 8 Oct. 2026 Iran International reported that the protest began over tuition, dormitory and food costs before expanding into broader political chants. — Efrat Lachter, FOXNews.com, 29 Sep. 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 20 Oct. 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

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