Library / English Dictionary

REFORMATORY

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 I. (noun) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

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

Synonyms:

reform school; reformatory; training school

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

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)

 II. (adjective) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Tending to reform

Example:

reformatory punishment

Synonyms:

reformative; reformatory

Classified under:

Adjectives

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)

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