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motel

n. · v.
US //moʊˈtɛɫ// UK //məʊtˈɛl// mo·tel
  1. 1 roadside hotel (n.)
    A2 Elementary American English

    a hotel near a main road where you can park your car right outside your room.

    a hotel situated near a highway, specifically designed to accommodate motorists with parking spaces adjacent to room entrances.

    Example

    We were too tired to keep driving, so we stopped at a motel for the night.

    Example

    The family opted for a budget motel on the outskirts of the city to avoid the high parking fees charged by downtown hotels.

    Usage

    Often used as a countable noun; the term is more common in North America than in Europe.
    • motor inn
    • roadside inn
  2. 2 to stay in a motel (v.)
    C2 Proficiency Informal

    to spend the night in a motel while travelling.

    to lodge in a motel or series of motels during a journey. Intransitive use.

    Example

    We decided to motel our way across the country instead of camping.

    Example

    They spent the summer motelling across the Southwest, enjoying the kitschy decor of the vintage roadside stops.
Origin

Blend of motor + hotel, from the original Motel Inn of San Luis Obispo in California, USA, established in 1925 by Arthur Heineman (1878–1974).

Word family

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