motel
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mo·tel

noun \mō-ˈtel\

Definition of MOTEL

: an establishment which provides lodging and parking and in which the rooms are usually accessible from an outdoor parking area

Origin of MOTEL

blend of motor and hotel
First Known Use: 1925

motel

noun    (Concise Encyclopedia)

Hotel designed for persons traveling by automobile, with convenient parking space provided (the name blends the words “motor hotel”). Originally usually consisting of a series of separate or attached roadside cabins, motels serve commercial and business travelers and persons attending conventions and business meetings as well as vacationers and tourists. By 1950 the automobile was the principal mode of travel in the U.S., and motels were built near large highways, just as hotels had been built near railroad stations.

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