reformatory

adjective

1. serving or designed to reform: reformatory punishments.

   reformatory lectures;

   reformatory punishments.

noun

plural

reformatories 

1. Also called reform school. (no longer in official use) a penal institution for reforming young offenders, especially minors.

reformatory

/ -trɪ, rɪˈfɔːmətərɪ /

noun

1. Also called: reform school. (formerly) a place of instruction where young offenders were sent for corrective training Compare approved school

adjective

1. having the purpose or function of reforming

Other Word Forms

• prereformatory adjective
• pseudoreformatory adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of reformatory¹

First recorded in 1580–90 reformatory for def. 1; in 1750–60 reformatory for def. 2; reform ( def. ) + -atory ( def. ).

Example Sentences

Archeologists estimate that nearly 100 kids died from violence and neglect over the juvenile reformatory’s century in use.

From Los Angeles Times

In the film about two teens in a reformatory school, the camera becomes the point-of-view of a couple of characters, while other characters look directly into the lens.

From Los Angeles Times

Those crimes included forcing the Krenak off their land in southeastern Minas Gerais state, where a so-called reformatory site was built.

From Seattle Times

Her rebellious nature was mainly driven by resentment at the abuse she suffered as a child and her experience in a Dublin reformatory.

From BBC

He ended up getting sent to a borstal, a reformatory for young offenders.

From Salon