inn
noun
a commercial establishment that provides lodging, food, etc., for the public, especially travelers; small hotel.
inn
1 American
[in]
/ ɪn /
noun
-
inns
plural
-
a commercial establishment that provides lodging, food, etc., for the public, especially travelers; small hotel.
- Synonyms:
- hostelry
-
a tavern.
-
(initial capital letter)
-
any of several buildings in London formerly used as places of residence for students, especially law students.
-
a legal society occupying such a building.
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Inn
2
American
[in]
/ ɪn /
noun
inn
1
British
/ ɪn /
noun
-
a pub or small hotel providing food and accommodation
-
(formerly, in England) a college or hall of residence for students, esp of law, now only in the names of such institutions as the Inns of Court
Inn
2
British
/ ɪn /
noun
Synonym Usage
See hotel.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of inn
First recorded before 1000; Middle English, Old English in(n) “house”; akin to Old Norse inni (adverb) “within, in the house”
Explanation
An inn is a place to stay while you're on vacation or on the road. Inns are usually smaller and more charming than hotels, but they serve the same purpose: to give you a place to rest your weary head as you travel. Some inns are more charming versions of hotels, while others use the word inn simply to make them sound more appealing than a motel. The original meaning of inn was "lodging and food for travelers," although today some inns don't have a restaurant or bar attached. If you own or manage an inn, you're an "innkeeper." Inn comes from the Old English inne, "inside or within."
Vocabulary lists containing inn
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
“Monrovia is not a tourist haven, so guests to our inn will be destination-oriented,” Cain says.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 6, 2026
It follows years of controversy about what to do with the 17th-Century former inn, where Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler was born in April 1889.
From BBC ● Jul. 22, 2026
Lately, Chahal has been sprucing up the motor inn: new cabinets, new furniture, fresh paint every few months.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 14, 2026
After fleeing the inn in November, Krndija flew from John F. Kennedy Airport to Austria before returning to Serbia, investigators say.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 31, 2026
Even though it was night, the moon shone enough for me to see the relief on Samir’s face that the inn was where it was supposed to be.
From "The Many Assassinations of Samir, the Seller of Dreams" by Daniel Nayeri
He is also said to have paid $20 million for the Casa Malibu Inn in 2007, 10 years before he snapped up another oceanfront estate for a reported $48 million.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 5, 2026
Other businesses, including nearby pub The Harbour Inn, also opened their doors to those affected.
From BBC ● Sep. 21, 2026
For over 30 years, the Ship Inn has fielded a team to take on visitors from across the U.K.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 14, 2026
Evacuation shelters have been opened at the Carmel Mission Inn and the Cambria Veterans Memorial Building.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 30, 2026
Somehow, that pursuit seemed more in keeping with Barnard’s Inn.
From "Great Expectations" by Charles Dickens
Higher room rates did little to dull demand for oceanside resorts, exclusive mountaintop inns and city-center grand hotels.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 11, 2025
In its heyday, the town’s main drag featured saloons, dance halls, inns and gambling houses.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 4, 2024
There are a few cafes and inns, but no car rental shops, gas stations or public transportation.
From Seattle Times ● May 24, 2024
By the 18th century, servants at country houses and inns expected these gifts from guests, and sources at the time complained of the cost.
From National Geographic ● Feb. 26, 2024
Talent pipes were recognized as clear marks of distinction at most sizable inns within two hundred miles of Imre.
From "The Name of the Wind" by Patrick Rothfuss
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
