refectory

noun

re·​fec·​to·​ry ri-ˈfek-t(ə-)rē How to pronounce refectory (audio)
plural refectories
: a dining hall (as in a monastery or college)

Examples of refectory in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Photo: Google Maps Like many condos, this one comes with lots of amenities and perks not found in co-ops, including a swimming pool in the seminary’s former refectory and a reading room with a great books collection. Kim Velsey, Curbed, 21 Nov. 2024 Maybe a knife dropped clumsily on the stone floor of the convent refectory, a brief pause in the nuns’ chewing. Michelle Weber, Longreads, 15 Nov. 2024 The monastery’s refectory—with its reproduction of Veronese’s epic Wedding at Cana, the original of which was plundered by Napoleon’s army and now hangs in the Louvre—covered in floor-to-ceiling powder pink drapes. Liam Hess, Vogue, 5 Sep. 2024 On May 10, senior city planner Tia Anderson told the Planning Commission that the refectory question will be addressed through a separate complaint process and is not directly related to the arena. Frederick Melo, Twin Cities, 19 May 2024 The university completed some $1 million in improvements to the refectory’s basement and ground floor in 2022 and 2023, but did not install the drive. Frederick Melo, Twin Cities, 19 May 2024 That masterpiece is located in the refectory of the Santa Maria delle Grazie monastery in Milan, which has been a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1980. Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 16 May 2024 The original is still in the refectory of the Convent of Santa Maria delle Grazie in Milan. Ed Masley, The Arizona Republic, 10 May 2023 The monastery included a church, refectory, cisterns and cells for the monks, according to a statement by state news agency WAM. Abbas Al Lawati, CNN, 4 Nov. 2022

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French refectorie, from Late Latin refectorium, from Latin reficere

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of refectory was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near refectory

Cite this Entry

“Refectory.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/refectory. Accessed 22 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

refectory

noun
re·​fec·​to·​ry ri-ˈfek-t(ə-)rē How to pronounce refectory (audio)
plural refectories
: a dining hall
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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