motel

noun

mo·​tel mō-ˈtel 

: 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

On July 24, 2021, Garvin stabbed 30-year-old Christie Holt to death at a motel and attempted to dismember her body. —Adam Sabes, FOXNews.com, 3 Jan. 2026

If that suits your needs, check into Cuyama Buckhorn, a roadside motel in the town of New Cuyama, population under 700. —Chelsee Lowe, Travel + Leisure, 30 Dec. 2025

The yellow-and-turquoise Royal Palace was built in 1969, at the tail end of the golden era of motels along nearby Colfax Avenue. —Thomas Gounley, Denver Post, 30 Dec. 2025

In this Discovery+ original series, drag superstar Trixie Mattel and her partner David renovate a rundown motel in hopes of transforming it into a bold and fabulous Palm Springs getaway. —Ilana Gordon, Entertainment Weekly, 30 Dec. 2025

Word History

Etymology

blend of motor and hotel

First Known Use

1925, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for motel

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

Kids Definition

motel

noun

mo·​tel mō-ˈtel 

: a building or group of buildings which provide lodgings and in which the rooms are usually reached directly from an outdoor parking lot