Definition:
: an establishment which provides lodging and parking and in which the rooms are usually accessible from an outdoor parking area
About the Word:
The number of registered drivers in the US increased from about 8 million to almost three times that number between 1920 and 1930, and the new car culture gave birth to a plethora of words to accommodate this industry. The word motel (formed by blending the words motor and hotel) dates from 1925, as drivers began to take enough long trips to necessitate having places for them to sleep near the roads they were travelling on. The 1920s also saw the birth of gas station (1925), license plate (1924), and driver's license (1926).
Example:
"This gal is too old for a baby-sitter and too young for a motel. Suggest that she get a room at the 'Y. W.'" — Dear Abby (Abigail Van Buren), The Springfield (Massachusetts) Union, 11 June 1958
