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 of hotel

Noun

• hostel
• tavern
• motel

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

On Tuesday night, after harassing them the night before at their team hotel, Mexico sent Ecuador packing in a Round of 32 match at Mexico City Stadium. — Matt Reigle Outkick, FOXNews.com, 2 July 2026

Today, it has been reborn as a winery and hotel, featuring rooms, suites, and townhouse-style residences. — Tia Lovisa Moreira, Travel + Leisure, 2 July 2026

Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko, writing on Telegram, said the hotel roof was on fire. — Reuters, NBC news, 2 July 2026

Part private local members’ club (known as Six Senses Place) and part hotel, all overnight guests enjoy access to the members-only areas of the property. — Ramsey Qubein, Forbes.com, 1 July 2026

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
• boutique hotel

Rhymes for hotel

• barbell
• bedwell
• befell
• bluebell
• bombshell
• bridewell
• capelle
• cartel
• carvel
• clamshell
• cogswell
• compel

Kids Definition

hotel

noun

ho·​tel hō-ˈtel 

: an establishment that provides lodging and often 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