noun
hostel
HOS-tuhl
noun
1
Cheap, shared lodging for travelers, often with dormitory-style rooms.
"We stayed in a youth hostel in Prague for ten dollars a night."
2
A residence offering temporary shelter, such as for homeless people.
"The shelter operates as a hostel for people between homes."
How to Use Hostel
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishCheap, shared accommodation, often popular with young travelers on a budget.
Common pairings
youth hostel
stay in a hostel
hostel dorm
Word Forms
hosteled past tense, hostelled past tense, hostels plural, hostels singular
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Etymology
From Old French hostel, from Latin hospitale — a doublet of "hotel" and "hospital," all from the same root meaning "hospitable."