hotel

1 of 2

noun

ho·​tel hō-ˈtel 

ˈhō-ˌtel

: an establishment that provides lodging and usually meals, entertainment, and various personal services for the public : inn

hoteldom

hō-ˈtel-dəm 

ˈhō-ˌtel-

noun

Hotel

2 of 2

communications code word

—used as a code word for the letter h

Synonyms

Noun

• auberge
• caravansary
• caravanserai
• hospice
• hostel
• hostelry
• inn
• lodge
• public house
• tavern

Examples of hotel in a Sentence

Noun

check out of a hotel

for their 50th anniversary they stayed at one of the finest hotels in San Francisco

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Most of Vierra’s family has been staying in hotels, an initial boon to the disaster response in a community where demand for housing was already extremely high before 12,000 people lost their homes in the fires. —Thalia Beaty, Fortune, 23 Apr. 2024

The hotels have donation areas where people can drop off items like toys, clothing and toiletries that others can pick up as needed. —Niraj Warikoo, Detroit Free Press, 22 Apr. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun

borrowed from French hôtel, going back to Old French hostel, ostel "lodging, accommodation" — more at hostel entry 1

First Known Use

Noun

1687, in the meaning defined above

Communications Code Word

1951, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing hotel

• apartment hotel

Kids Definition

hotel

noun

ho·​tel hō-ˈtel 

: an establishment that provides lodging and usually meals, entertainment, and personal services for its guests

Etymology

Noun

from French hôtel "hotel," from early French hostel "a place for travelers to spend the night," derived from Latin hospitalis "of a guest, showing hospitality," from hospit-, hospes "host, stranger, guest" — related to hospital, hospitality