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

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

From MarketWatch • Apr. 28, 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

St Andrews estimates total costs for U.S. students, including room and board, travel and living expenses, at $66,705.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 16, 2026

Cruises still are value plays — passage, room and board and entertainment remain usually more expensive on land than on a cruise.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 11, 2026

The end result was that in exchange for playing three evenings a span I received free room and board.

From "The Name of the Wind" by Patrick Rothfuss