motel

mo-tel · noun

imported

Definitions

noun

  1. 1.

    A roadside hotel designed primarily for motorists, typically having rooms arranged in low blocks with parking directly outside.

Forms

plural: motels

Phrases & expressions

  • •
    no-tell motel — Informal term for a cheap, disreputable motel often used for illicit purposes
  • •
    roadside motel — A motel located along a highway

Related words

See also: hotel, inn, lodge
Synonyms: motor inn, motor lodge, roadside inn

Etymology

A blend of motor and hotel, coined in 1925 in California, USA, when the first establishment of this type was built. The concept arose with the increase in automobile travel.