hostel

American  

[hos-tl] / ˈhɒs tl /

noun

1. Also called youth hostel.  an inexpensive, supervised lodging place for young people on bicycle trips, hikes, etc.

2. (formerly) a residence for the exclusive use of boarding Indigenous students, separate from but close to any of a series of day schools in northern Canada that were operated or funded by the federal government and were themselves open to students of any ethnicity.

3. British. a student residence at a university or boarding school.

4. an inn.

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verb (used without object)

hosteled, hosteling, hostelled, hostelling

1. to travel, lodging each night at a hostel.

hostel British  

/ ˈhɒstəl /

noun

1. a building providing overnight accommodation, as for the homeless, etc

2. See youth hostel

3. a supervised lodging house for nurses, workers, etc

4. archaic another word for hostelry

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Etymology

Origin of hostel

First recorded in 1200–50; Middle English (h)ostel, from Old French, from Late Latin hospitāle “guest room”; hospital

Example Sentences

He keeps hens in his hostel room and dreams up improbable schemes to transform India - including planting trees along railway tracks, fertilised by waste from passing trains.

From BBC

The Foreign Office said Laos' Ministry of Public Security had said the hostel could not reopen until court proceedings concluded - although it was not clear if this included those involving the distillery owner.

From BBC

The teenager had been working at a backpacker's hostel for the past six weeks, and told friends she was going for a 05:00 morning swim on Monday, Australian media reported.

From BBC

She said he had been on the books of more than a dozen organisations when she found him dead in an adult homeless hostel at 16.

From BBC

Powell said more than 100 people are being housed at the charity's seven hostels - which he added was not a significant increase on previous years.

From BBC

Related Words

• hotel
• inn