noun
motel
moh-TEHL
noun
1
A roadside hotel where rooms open directly onto a parking area, built for travelers arriving by car.
"We stopped at a cheap motel just off the highway for the night."
"The motel sign flickered "vacancy" in neon red."
How to Use Motel
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA budget hotel designed for drivers, usually with parking right outside each room.
Common pairings
roadside motel
check into a motel
motel room
Word Forms
motelled past tense, motels plural, motels singular
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We stopped at a cheap _____ just off the highway for the night.
Etymology
A blend of "motor" and "hotel", coined for the Motel Inn built in San Luis Obispo, California in 1925.