dormitory

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   A room containing a number of beds (and often some other furniture and/or utilities) for sleeping, often applied to student and backpacker accommodation of this kind.

   She will be much more likely to meet his wishes after a residence at the castle, than an imprisonment on short commons in her dormitory in Welbeck Street; for in one case she only learnt how much she could endure, in the other she will find how much she can enjoy.

2. 2
   noun

   a college or university building containing living quarters for students

3. 3
   noun

   a large sleeping room containing several beds

4. 4
   noun

   A building or part of a building which houses students, soldiers, monks etc. who sleep there and use communal further facilities.

5. 5
   noun

   A dormitory town.

Etymology

From Middle English dormitory, dormytory, dormytorye, borrowed from Latin dormītōrium (“a sleeping-room”), from dormiō (“to sleep”). Doublet of dormitorium and dorter.