conservatory
UK /kənˈsɜː.və.tɹi/ · US /kənˈsɝ.vəˌt(ɔ.)ɹi/ adjective, noun
Forms conservatories
- adjective Having the quality of preserving from loss, decay, or injury.
- adjective (rare) Relating to conservation.
- noun (obsolete) A medicine, especially a magical preservative.
- noun (chiefly historical Italian contexts) A school or clinic for orphans.
- noun (now chiefly US) A music school.
- noun (now rare) A storehouse, a repository.
- noun (obsolete) An icehouse, a warehouse for ice.
- noun (obsolete) A cistern, an artificially collected body of water.
- noun (obsolete) A reservoir, an artificially maintained body of water.
- noun (now uncommon) A greenhouse, a glass-walled building for cultivating delicate plants.
Synonyms
music school greenhouse hothouse orangery planthouse sunroom solarium Florida room academy of drama drama school theater school theatre school conservatoire indoor garden
Etymology
From Medieval Latin cōnservātōrius directly and via French conservatoire, from cōnservāre (“to conserve, to preserve”) + -torius (“-atory: forming related adjectives”) and/or conservator (“conservator, preserver, protector”) + -ius (“-y: forming related adjectives”).
From Medieval Latin cōnservātōrium directly and via French conservatoire and Italian conservatorio, from cōnservātus (“conserved, preserved”) + -ōrium (“-ory: forming related nouns”).
Webster’s 1913
- adjective Having the quality of preserving from loss, decay, or injury.
- noun That which preserves from injury. [Obs.] "A conservatory of life." Jer. Taylor.
- noun A place for preserving anything from loss, decay, waste, or injury; particulary, a greenhouse for preserving exotic or tender plants.
Etymology [Cf. F. conservatoire, LL. conservatorius.]
Etymology [Cf. F. conservatoire, LL. conservatorium.]
Sources: Wiktionary · WordNet 3.0 · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “conservatory”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details