motel

noun

mo·​tel mō-ˈtel How to pronounce motel (audio)
: an establishment which provides lodging and parking and in which the rooms are usually accessible from an outdoor parking area

Examples of motel in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Its flaws are well known — anyone staying in a motel or couch surfing with friends, for example, is likely to stay hidden — and officials have long cautioned that the one-day tally represents only the bare minimum number of homeless people countywide. Blake Nelson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 20 May 2025 The pair, who were lovers, led authorities on an 11-day manhunt across Tennessee and Indiana, which eventually culminated in a confrontation outside an Evansville, Indiana, motel room. Peter D'abrosca, FOXNews.com, 20 May 2025 In an accompanying move, the Village Board established a hotel/motel tax in the amount of 5% of gross rental receipts, which would apply to the new rental units. Hank Beckman, Chicago Tribune, 20 May 2025 Nearly two dozen people were displaced when a fire broke in the early morning hours at a motel in Groton. Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 20 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for motel

Word History

Etymology

blend of motor and hotel

First Known Use

1925, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of motel was in 1925

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Motel.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/motel. Accessed 28 May. 2025.

Kids Definition

motel

noun
mo·​tel mō-ˈtel How to pronounce motel (audio)
: a building or group of buildings which provide lodgings and in which the rooms are usually reached directly from an outdoor parking lot

More from Merriam-Webster on motel

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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