noun

room and board

ROOM and BORD

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Room and board (noun) means a place to sleep and meals provided together, usually as part of a fee or as payment for work. Example: “Room and board comes to eleven thousand dollars a year on top of tuition.”

noun

A place to sleep and meals provided together, usually as part of a fee or as payment for work.

"Room and board comes to eleven thousand dollars a year on top of tuition."

"The job paid little but included room and board."

How to use room and board

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishSomewhere to sleep and food to eat, included in the deal.

When to use it

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.

Memory tip

Board on its own already means the meals — 'room and board' is not repeating itself.

Trace the full origin ↓

Easily confused with

full board half board bed and breakfast

Common pairings

free room and board room and board included cost of room and board in exchange for room and board

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C2 · Advanced serendipity Fortunate discoveries made entirely by accident.

Gen Z slang rizz Charm — the ability to attract a romantic interest.

B2 · Intermediate empathy The capacity to share another person’s feelings.

C1 · Advanced nonchalant Casually calm and relaxed; unconcerned.

Internet slang delulu Delusional — believing something against the odds.

Etymology nostalgia Greek nostos “return home” + algos “pain”.

C2 · Advanced serendipity Fortunate discoveries made entirely by accident.

Gen Z slang rizz Charm — the ability to attract a romantic interest.

B2 · Intermediate empathy The capacity to share another person’s feelings.

C1 · Advanced nonchalant Casually calm and relaxed; unconcerned.

Internet slang delulu Delusional — believing something against the odds.

Etymology nostalgia Greek nostos “return home” + algos “pain”.

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Fill the gap

Can you complete this real example?

_____ comes to eleven thousand dollars a year on top of tuition.

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.

Origin: English

Synonyms

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bed and board full board accommodation and meals keep

Related words

have keep support try living stay hold break

Rhymes for room and board

board hoard aboard onboard keyboard cupboard outboard seaboard backboard starboard cardboard surfboard

See all rhymes for 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.

What is the meaning of room and board?

"room and board" (noun) means a place to sleep and meals provided together, usually as part of a fee or as payment for work.

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