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Synonyms

room and board

American  

noun

  1. lodging and meals.


room and board Idioms  
  1. Lodging and meals, as in The university's price for room and board has increased by another 10 percent. [Mid-1900s]


Etymology

Origin of room and board

First recorded in 1950–55


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:

She provided room and board in return for manual labour and help around the house.

From BBC ● May 13, 2026

Most private colleges charge in the neighborhood of $90,000 for tuition, room and board, books, and other fees.

From MarketWatch ● Apr. 28, 2026

But now lessons from personal finance are being integrated into all areas of the Berea curriculum, where most students attend tuition-free and many get financial aid for room and board.

From MarketWatch ● Apr. 21, 2026

Like a lot of small colleges, St. Michael’s draws most of its revenue from tuition, fees and room and board.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 9, 2026

Reginald Monty, who tried unsuccessfully to live in a car when his family could no longer pay for his room and board.

From "Water for Elephants" by Sara Gruen

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