noun
reformatory
rih-FAW-muh-tuh-ree
noun
1
An institution, historically, for housing and rehabilitating young offenders.
"He was sent to a reformatory at the age of fourteen."
adj
1
Intended to bring about reform.
"The new policies had a reformatory aim."
How to Use Reformatory
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishAn old term for a juvenile detention facility meant to correct young offenders' behavior, or an adjective meaning "meant to reform."
Common pairings
reformatory school
Word Forms
more reformatory comparative, reformatories plural, most reformatory superlative
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He was sent to a _____ at the age of fourteen.