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

Travelers can book one hotel room night and get the second night free. —Stacey Leasca, Travel + Leisure, 29 Nov. 2024

Rising demand for airline tickets and hotel bookings has boosted Trip.com’s bottomline, with the company’s net profit jumping almost 50% year-on-year to 6.8 billion yuan in the third quarter to September as revenue rose 16% to 15.9 billion yuan. —Yue Wang, Forbes, 29 Nov. 2024

Nita Lake Lodge offers a boutique hotel experience and is serenely positioned by Whistler Creek. —Nicole Kliest, Vogue, 29 Nov. 2024

Imagine the comfort and support of a plush hotel bed every night, now at a fraction of the price. —Paris Wilson, Condé Nast Traveler, 29 Nov. 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 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