noun
Freq #56520
Meanings
-
1
noun
a communal dining hall in a monastery, school, college, or other institution
The pupils ate their evening meal together in the refectory.
Thesaurus
Synonyms
1
noun
· a communal dining hall in a...
dining hallmess hall
Word family
Forms
refectories
Etymology
Through Middle English refectorie from Late Latin refectorium, 'a place for refreshment,' based on Latin reficere, 'to restore or remake' (re- 'again' + facere 'make'). The room was named for the bodily restoration provided by a communal meal.