REFORMATORY

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does reformatory mean? 

• REFORMATORY (noun)
  The noun REFORMATORY has 1 sense:

1. correctional institution for the detention and discipline and training of young or first offenders

  Familiarity information: REFORMATORY used as a noun is very rare.

• REFORMATORY (adjective)
  The adjective REFORMATORY has 1 sense:

1. tending to reform

  Familiarity information: REFORMATORY used as an adjective is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• REFORMATORY (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Correctional institution for the detention and discipline and training of young or first offenders

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Synonyms:

reform school; reformatory; training school

Hypernyms ("reformatory" is a kind of...):

correctional institution (a penal institution maintained by the government)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "reformatory"):

borstal (formerly a British reform school for youths considered too young to send to prison)

Derivation:

reformatory (tending to reform)

• REFORMATORY (adjective)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Tending to reform

Synonyms:

reformative; reformatory

Context example:

reformatory punishment

Similar:

helpful (providing assistance or serving a useful function)

Derivation:

reform (change for the better)

reform (bring, lead, or force to abandon a wrong or evil course of life, conduct, and adopt a right one)

reformatory (correctional institution for the detention and discipline and training of young or first offenders)