Conservatoires

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. Places where individuals receive specialized instruction in the performing arts, with a strong emphasis on music and drama
2. Institutions that offer rigorous education in artistic fields, particularly focusing on music and theatrical skills
3. Educational establishments dedicated to training individuals in the performing arts, primarily emphasizing music and drama disciplines

Etymology: "Conservatoires" is the plural of "conservatoire", a word English took directly from French. In French, the term originally referred to a storehouse or repository, and its root lies in the Latin "conservare", to keep or preserve. That sense of keeping and guarding survives in the English word "conservatory", which is a doublet of "conservatoire": both descend from the same source but reached English by different routes, with "conservatory" the older and more everyday form. The word's modern meaning, a school for training musicians, dancers or actors, comes from the French usage of the term for institutions that gathered and preserved a body of learning. The shift from a place where things are kept to a place where skills are passed on is a neat one, since a training school preserves a tradition by handing it to the next generation.

Synonyms: music schools, academy of music, arts conservatories