an institution for the care of homeless, delinquent, or destitute children
protectory in American English
(proʊˈtɛktəri; prəˈtɛktəri)
nounWord forms: pluralproˈtectories
Obsolete
a church-operated institution for the protection of destitute children
protectory in American English
(prəˈtektəri)
nounWord forms: plural-ries
an institution for the care of destitute or delinquent children
Word origin
[1650–60; protect + -ory2]This word is first recorded in the period 1650–60. Other words that entered Englishat around the same time include: agency, backhand, burlesque, cardholder, parameter-ory is a suffix forming nouns denoting places or receptacles, joined to bases of Latinorigin in imitation of borrowed Latin words containing the suffix -tory (or its alternant -sory). Other words that use the affix -ory include: crematory, manufactory, operatory, pillory, reformatory