inn

¹

[in]

noun

1. a commercial establishment that provides lodging, food, etc., for the public, especially travelers; small hotel.

   Synonyms: hostelry

2. a tavern.

3. (initial capital letter)

   1. any of several buildings in London formerly used as places of residence for students, especially law students.

   2. a legal society occupying such a building.

Inn

²

[in]

noun

1. a river in central Europe, flowing from S Switzerland through Austria and Germany into the Danube. 320 miles (515 km) long.

inn

¹

/ ɪn /

noun

1. a pub or small hotel providing food and accommodation

2. (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

/ ɪn /

noun

1. a river in central Europe, rising in Switzerland in Graubünden and flowing northeast through Austria and Bavaria to join the River Danube at Passau: forms part of the border between Austria and Germany. Length: 514 km (319 miles)

Other Word Forms

• innless adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of inn¹

First recorded before 1000; Middle English, Old English in(n) “house”; akin to Old Norse inni (adverb) “within, in the house”

Word History and Origins

Origin of inn¹

Old English; compare Old Norse inni inn, house, place of refuge

Synonym Study

See hotel.

Example Sentences

The family lived in a cottage nearby and befriended members of the Brooklyn Dodgers, who stayed at the inn for spring training during World War II.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

The Surfrider was built in 1953 as a motor inn and was later transformed to resemble a California beach house’s living room.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

On the road rising to the Pyrenees, we stop at a posada, a roadside inn where strings of chorizo and peppers hang like wind chimes above the bar.

Read more on Salon

Right now, this stretch of the highway “is a great place to cycle,” said Diane Ramey, whose family owns the inn.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

And plenty of themed merchandise — ranging from the typical stickers, hats and mugs to ultra-specific items like bath salts with branding from Lorelai’s inn — was available for purchase.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• hostel 
• hotel 
• lodge 
• motel 
• resort 
• saloon 
• tavern