room and board
4 synonyms for room and board, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Noun — A place to sleep and meals provided together, usually as part of a fee or as payment for work.
Synonyms
Everyday swaps
Common words most readers know — safe in any writing.
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
bed and board
full board
accommodation and meals
How to use room and board
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
free room and board
room and board included
cost of room and board
in exchange for room and board
Chiefly North American, and standard in US college billing. British English is more likely to say full board, board and lodging, or simply accommodation and meals.
Etymology
Room in the sense of lodging, plus board meaning meals — from the old use of board for a dining table, as in boarding house.
Full origin of room and board →Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between room and board and rent?
Rent buys the use of the space only; you feed yourself. Room and board bundles the accommodation with meals, which is why it is the standard arrangement for university halls, live-in staff and host families.
What does board mean in room and board?
Board means food — historically the table you ate at. The same sense survives in boarding school, boarding house, and full board or half board at a hotel.
What is the difference between full board and half board?
Full board covers all three meals a day. Half board covers breakfast and one other meal, normally dinner, leaving you to sort out lunch yourself. Both terms are more common in Britain and Europe than room and board.
