What is defined as a building or space providing group sleeping accommodations for more than 16 persons not from the same family?

In fire inspection terminology, a dormitory is specifically characterized as a building or space that offers shared sleeping accommodations for a group of individuals, particularly when those individuals are not from the same family unit. This definition aligns with the context that a dormitory is designed to house a larger number of people—typically more than 16—who are usually congregated for educational, military, or organizational purposes rather than for transient stays, which distinguishes it from accommodations like hotels or hostels.

A hotel, in contrast, is generally designed for short-term stays and is structured more towards individual private rooms rather than shared sleeping environments. A hostel often offers shared accommodations but is usually aimed at budget-conscious travelers and may not fit the larger group definition as precisely as a dormitory does. A barracks is a specific military term for accommodations for soldiers and is generally not used to describe sleeping facilities for the general population or non-military groups.

Therefore, the definition given most closely matches the characteristics of a dormitory, confirming it as the correct answer.