motel

noun

mo·​tel mō-ˈtel How to pronounce motel (audio)
Synonyms of motelnext
: an establishment which provides lodging and parking and in which the rooms are usually accessible from an outdoor parking area

Examples of motel in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Tennessee Department of Correction (TDOC) Communications via AP Hines stabbed Jenkins to death while the 54-year-old was working as a motel maid in Kingston Springs. — CBS News, 14 Aug. 2026 Hines stabbed Jenkins to death while the 54-year-old was working as a motel maid in Kingston Springs. — ABC News, 13 Aug. 2026 The ArtHaus firm, headed up by real estate executive Riaz Taplin, converted a motel into affordable housing on an adjacent parcel at 233 Broadway. — George Avalos, Mercury News, 13 Aug. 2026 Hines, 66, is set to die for the 1985 killing of Catherine Jean Jenkins, a 54-year-old motel maid in Kingston Springs. — Greg Wehner, FOXNews.com, 13 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for motel

Word History

Etymology

blend of motor and hotel

First Known Use

1925, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of motel was in 1925

Rhymes for motel

See All Rhymes for motel

Browse Nearby Words

moted
motel
motet
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Motel.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/motel. Accessed 16 Aug. 2026.

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Kids Definition

motel

noun
mo·​tel mō-ˈtel How to pronounce motel (audio)
: a building or group of buildings which provide lodgings and in which the rooms are usually reached directly from an outdoor parking lot

More from Merriam-Webster on motel

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for motel

Nglish: Translation of motel for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about motel

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