observatory
noun
ob·ser·va·to·ry
əb-ˈzər-və-ˌtȯr-ē 
plural observatories
1
: a building or place given over to or equipped for observation of natural phenomena (as in astronomy)
also
: an institution whose primary purpose is making such observations
2
: a situation or structure commanding a wide view
Examples of observatory in a Sentence
the observatory is located on a mountaintop
Recent Examples on the Web
Filming will still be limited to times when the observatory is not otherwise open to the public.
—
Julia Wick, Los Angeles Times, 20 May 2025
Built 90 years ago, the observatory is free to explore, and admission to its excellent planetarium is only $10.
—David Allan, CNN Money, 17 May 2025
Using a telescope made from second hand parts, including part of an old wooden couch, David Wilson captured the dramatic solar event on May 7, from his backyard observatory in Inverness, Scotland.
—Maria Azzurra Volpe, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 May 2025
Carbon monoxide radiates light in longer wavelengths that can be detected by radio observatories on Earth’s surface, a more conventional technique for identifying star-forming clouds.
—Katrina Miller, New York Times, 29 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for observatory
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Julia Wick, Los Angeles Times, 20 May 2025
Built 90 years ago, the observatory is free to explore, and admission to its excellent planetarium is only $10.
—David Allan, CNN Money, 17 May 2025
Using a telescope made from second hand parts, including part of an old wooden couch, David Wilson captured the dramatic solar event on May 7, from his backyard observatory in Inverness, Scotland.
—Maria Azzurra Volpe, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 May 2025
Carbon monoxide radiates light in longer wavelengths that can be detected by radio observatories on Earth’s surface, a more conventional technique for identifying star-forming clouds.
—Katrina Miller, New York Times, 29 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for observatory
Cite this Entry
“Observatory.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/observatory. Accessed 6 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
observatory
noun
ob·ser·va·to·ry
əb-ˈzər-və-ˌtōr-ē
-ˌtȯr-
plural observatories
1
: a place or institution equipped with instruments for observation of natural objects and events (as in astronomy)
2
: a place providing a wide view
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