Ob-sĕrv'a-to-ry, n.

(50), n. [Fr. observatoire, Sp. observatorio, It. osservatorio. See OBSERVE.]

1. A place from which a view may be observed or commanded.
2. Especially, a place or building for making observations on the heavenly bodies; as, the royal observatory at Greenwich.
3. Hence, a building fitted with instruments for making systematic observations of any particular class or series of natural phenomena; as, a meteorological observatory, a magnetical observatory, and the like.