[Elamur Dictionary](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/dormitory/)

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# dormitory

noun (a dormitory, dormitories)

«dormitory» in the English dictionary: everyday — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. A large bedroom with many beds, such as in a boarding school, camp or hostel. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/dormitory/#m1)
2. (US) A college or university building where students live; often shortened to «dorm». [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/dormitory/#m2)
3. (UK, also «dormitory town») A town where people live but travel elsewhere to work. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/dormitory/#m3)

### In the lessons

In school stories, especially boarding-school ones, the dormitory is where children sleep and have midnight feasts. On school trips and camps, pupils share dormitories. In geography, a dormitory town or suburb shows commuting patterns. Phrases: «in the dormitory», «dormitory town», «lights out».

### Examples

- We slept in a dormitory with twelve bunk beds on camp. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/dormitory/#x1)
- The girls had a midnight feast in the dormitory. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/dormitory/#x2)
- My cousin lives in a university dormitory. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/dormitory/#x3)
- Lights out in the dormitory is at nine. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/dormitory/#x4)
- The boarding school has a dormitory for each year group. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/dormitory/#x5)
- Many commuters live in the dormitory town and work in the city. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/dormitory/#x6)

### Note

Plural: dormitories (change «y» to «ies»). Informal short form: dorm. From Latin «dormire», to sleep (as in dormant).

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «dormitory» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/dormitory/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«dormitory» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/dormitory.html) on Mova free.