reformatory

American  

adjective

1. serving or designed to reform: reformatory punishments.

   reformatory lectures;

   reformatory punishments.

---

noun

plural

reformatories

1. Also called reform school.  (no longer in official use) a penal institution for reforming young offenders, especially minors.

reformatory British  

/ -trɪ, rɪˈfɔːmətərɪ /

noun

1. Also called: reform school.  (formerly) a place of instruction where young offenders were sent for corrective training Compare approved school

---

adjective

1. having the purpose or function of reforming

Other Word Forms

• prereformatory adjective
• pseudoreformatory adjective

Etymology

Origin of reformatory

First recorded in 1580–90 reformatory for def. 1; in 1750–60 reformatory for def. 2; reform ( def. ) + -atory ( def. ).

Example Sentences

"They put me in a reformatory when I was 17."

From BBC • Nov. 15, 2025

In the film about two teens in a reformatory school, the camera becomes the point-of-view of a couple of characters, while other characters look directly into the lens.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 17, 2024

He ended up getting sent to a borstal, a reformatory for young offenders.

From Salon • Feb. 20, 2023

He became involved with University Beyond Bars shortly after he arrived at the reformatory in 2010.

From Seattle Times • Dec. 6, 2022

Impertinence to a teacher was almost a reformatory offense in Brooklyn.

From "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn" by Betty Smith