seminary

n. a college where people study to become priests, ministers, or rabbis.

n. a theological school or college providing training for candidates for the priesthood, ministry, or rabbinate.

“After finishing his degree, he entered a seminary to train for the priesthood.”

“The candidate spent four years at the theological seminary, immersing himself in scripture, liturgy, and pastoral care before his ordination.”

Formal

n. a private school for young women, common in the 19th century.

n. a private school for young women, typically residential; the term was prevalent in the 19th century before 'academy' or 'college' became standard.

“In the 1800s, many young women from wealthy families attended a local seminary.”

“The novel's protagonist was sent to a prestigious female seminary, where she was expected to acquire the social graces necessary for a favorable marriage.”

Archaic

n. the place where an idea or a group of people first starts and grows.

n. the place or original stock from which anything is brought, produced, or nurtured; a figurative nursery for ideas or movements.

“The city became a seminary of new political ideas during the revolution.”

“The university was regarded as a seminary of radical thought, producing a generation of scholars who would eventually challenge the established social order.”

Literary