conservatory

conservatory — noun

1. a college where students receive professional training in music, theatre, or dan

1.nounB2
Definition

a college where students receive professional training in music, theatre, or dance

Example

Romi plans to apply to a conservatory in Vienna for advanced piano lessons.

apply to a conservatory for [subject]

The conservatory admitted only thirty new drama students this year.

the conservatory admitted + number of students

Common collocations
  • study at a conservatory
  • attend a conservatory
  • graduate from a conservatory
  • conservatory student
  • music conservatory
  • conservatory training
Synonyms
  • conservatoire

    French loanword, used especially in British English for the same type of school

  • academy

    broader term — can refer to any specialist school, not just performing arts

  • music college

    more specific; refers only to music-focused institutions

Usage Note

Chiefly used for specialised music and performing-arts schools in Europe and North America. In the United Kingdom, 'conservatoire' (from French) may be used interchangeably.

Common Mistakes

She studied at a conservative in Milan.
She studied at a conservatory in Milan.
'conservative' is a political or personal attitude; 'conservatory' is a school.

2. a small building made mostly of glass, usually attached to one side of a house,

2.nounB1
Definition

a small building made mostly of glass, usually attached to one side of a house, where people grow plants or sit to enjoy sunlight and warmth

Example

Harper grows herbs and tomatoes in the conservatory attached to the back of the house.

in the conservatory (prepositional pattern)

On cold winter afternoons, the Watanabe family drinks tea in their heated conservatory.

heated conservatory (adjective + noun pattern)

Common collocations
  • build a conservatory
  • add a conservatory
  • in the conservatory
  • heated conservatory
  • glass conservatory
  • conservatory extension
  • conservatory roof
Synonyms
  • sunroom

    most common American English equivalent

  • greenhouse

    used for commercial or large-scale plant growing, not usually attached to a house

  • glasshouse

    chiefly British, slightly old-fashioned, same basic meaning

Usage Note

Common in British English to describe a glass extension added to an existing house. In American English, 'sunroom' or 'sun parlor' is more typical for the same structure.

Common Mistakes

The gardener works in the conservatory growing vegetables for sale.
The gardener works in the greenhouse growing vegetables for sale.
A 'greenhouse' is a separate building for professional plant cultivation; a 'conservatory' is attached to a house and used mainly for leisure.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

These terms all name institutions for arts education, but differ in scope and register. A 'conservatoire' is the closest synonym — it is the French-derived spelling for the same type of performing-arts school, used primarily in British English (e.g. the Royal Academy of Music is a conservatoire). 'Academy' is broader: it can refer to any specialist school (military academy, art academy, science academy) and may include secondary-level education. 'Music college' is narrower and explicitly names the field; it avoids any ambiguity about whether drama or dance is taught. For example: 'She won a scholarship to a prestigious conservatoire in Paris,' but 'He teaches at a local music college that offers part-time evening courses.'

conservatoireacademy ↗music college

Etymology

LatinItalianFrenchEnglish

From Latin 'conservare' (to keep, preserve), later Italian 'conservatorio' (a shelter for orphans, who were taught music), and French 'conservatoire'. The music-school sense entered English in the 1700s from French. The glass-room sense appeared in the 1800s, borrowing the idea of a 'preserved' indoor garden space.