motel

American  

[moh-tel] / moʊˈtɛl /

noun

1. a hotel providing travelers with lodging and free parking facilities, typically a roadside hotel having rooms adjacent to an outside parking area or an urban hotel offering parking within the building.

---

motel British  

/ məʊˈtɛl /

noun

1. a roadside hotel for motorists, usually having direct access from each room or chalet to a parking space or garage

---

Etymology

Origin of motel

First recorded in 1920–25; blend of motor and hotel

Compare meaning

How does motel compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• motel vs. hotel

Example Sentences

Law enforcement quickly identified Pysher as the person behind the username on Discord and tracked him to the motel, according to the complaint.

From Los Angeles Times

In academia, the strategy of trapping customers is sometimes called the “roach motel,” she explained, a reference to a popular television ad from the late 1970s for a cockroach trap.

From Los Angeles Times

During the short trip, he counted 25 motels with brands such as Red Roof Inn and Motel 6 and decided China was ready for a budget lodging behemoth.

From The Wall Street Journal

They moved from motel to hotel to Airbnb until she couldn’t take it anymore, Marti said.

From Los Angeles Times

We fly past yet another highway exit, this one featuring just two gas stations and a sketchy motel.

From Literature

Related Words

• cabin
• hotel
• inn
• lodge
• resort