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 After declaring a state of emergency over COVID-19, Newsom launched Project Roomkey in April 2020 to help unhoused people safely isolate themselves in hotels and motels to prevent the virus from spreading. Andrea Castillo, Los Angeles Times, 12 Mar. 2024 Moody was living an hour from Myrtle Beach — at a motel in Georgetown, S.C., in 2009, when Brittanee was last seen, investigators said. Kc Baker, Peoplemag, 8 Mar. 2024 Card was hospitalized in a psychiatric unit for two weeks in July after shoving a fellow reservist and locking himself in a motel room. CBS News, 8 Mar. 2024 Investigators soon determined the motel was the Evergreen Motel in Inkster. Samira Asma-Sadeque, Peoplemag, 4 Mar. 2024 Police searched the motel room and found drugs, a cell phone and a gun. Landon Mion, Fox News, 3 Mar. 2024 Those in shelter, such as motel rooms, are still considered homeless by the city. Dakota Smith, Los Angeles Times, 1 Mar. 2024 The facilities kept their passengers, at times captive, inside apartments or motel rooms disguised as sober living homes without their families' knowledge. The Arizona Republic, 1 Mar. 2024 Michigan State Police found drugs, cell phones and a firearm in the motel room. Kate Linderman, Kansas City Star, 1 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'motel.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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

Dictionary Entries Near motel

Cite this Entry

“Motel.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/motel. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

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
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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