dorm
Americannoun
noun
Etymology
Origin of dorm
First recorded in 1895–1900; by shortening
Explanation
A dorm — short for dormitory — is a place where college or university students live. You'll find a lot of bunk beds in most dorms. If you go away to college, you’ll probably live in a dormitory — or dorm. It's much more common for students to say dorm because it's shorter and slangier. A dorm is where students live, often with roommates. Dorms have laundry rooms and rec rooms, and it's a place where many friendships are made. Students often study or try to avoid studying in the dorm. It's their home away from home. Dorms are also called residence halls and student residences.
Vocabulary lists containing dorm
Vocabulary from Readings, Unit 2
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Vocabulary from Readings, Unit 2
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
As the class of 2026 looks toward the future after securing their diplomas, some are preparing to move from their dorm room back to their childhood bedroom.
From MarketWatch • May 21, 2026
His savings had run out, his father had stopped financially supporting his tuition, and in his final days on campus, he was suspended for bringing a woman to his dorm room, according to his memoir.
From Los Angeles Times • May 6, 2026
All seven members roomed in a single dorm room until 2016.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 20, 2026
By 2024, he was working at a sweater factory, sending money home, and returning from his dorm with chocolates for his infant daughter, spending evenings watching cartoons on TV.
From BBC • Feb. 15, 2026
Serina smiled and opened the door to the girls’ dorm so I could walk through.
From "Glitch" by Laura Martin
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
