observatory

American  

[uhb-zur-vuh-tawr-ee, -tohr-ee] / əbˈzɜr vəˌtɔr i, -ˌtoʊr i /

noun

plural

observatories

1. a place or building equipped and used for making observations of astronomical, meteorological, or other natural phenomena, especially a place equipped with a powerful telescope for observing the planets and stars.

2. an institution that controls or carries on the work of such a place.

3. a place or structure that provides an extensive view; lookout.

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observatory British  

/ -trɪ, əbˈzɜːvətərɪ /

noun

1. an institution or building specially designed and equipped for observing meteorological and astronomical phenomena

2. any building or structure providing an extensive view of its surroundings

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Etymology

Origin of observatory

1670–80; < Latin observā ( re ) to observe + -tory ²

Example Sentences

To gather this enormous dataset, astronomers used ALMA, a powerful observatory operated by ESO and its partners in Chile's Atacama Desert.

From Science Daily • Mar. 5, 2026

Planning approval clears the way for work to begin on bringing the observatory back to life.

From BBC • Mar. 3, 2026

The DRC lost 36 percent of its tree cover between 2004 and 2022, according to the observatory Global Forest Watch.

From Barron's • Feb. 26, 2026

While shooting her previous feature in Chile, McAlpine noticed donkeys hanging out around an observatory.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 23, 2026

When Charles II heard the news, he decided that, as a seafaring nation, Britain had to have the necessary information as an aid to navigation, and the planned observatory became a project of the Crown.

From "The Scientists" by John Gribbin