protectory

American

[pruh-tek-tuh-ree] / prəˈtɛk tə ri /

noun

plural

protectories

an institution for the care of destitute or delinquent children.

protectory British

/ prəˈtɛktərɪ /

noun

an institution for the care of homeless, delinquent, or destitute children

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of protectory

First recorded in 1650–60; protect + -ory ²

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.

He received his education in a protectory where the good brothers were much too busy to observe which hand he used.

From Project Gutenberg

The court sent "Squint" Sheridan to the Catholic Protectory for a year.

From Time Magazine Archive

A class of children, whom we used thus to benefit, are now sent to the Catholic Protectory, or are retained in the City Alms-house on Randall's Island.

From Project Gutenberg

The “institutions designated by law” for the reception of truants are chiefly the Protectory and the Juvenile Asylum.

From Project Gutenberg

Of the Protectory children I have already spoken.

From Project Gutenberg

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023