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Where does the word "hotel" come from? It comes from Latin hospitale, passing through Old French and French before entering English (1700s).
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Where does the word "hotel" come from? It comes from Latin hospitale, passing through Old French and French before entering English (1700s).
Hotel’s story begins in Latin: hospitale meant “a guest house.” By medieval, the word had taken hold in Old French as hostel. Carried the meaning of lodging for travelers. From there it passed into French as hôtel by 1600s. Narrowed to mean a large or fashionable lodging house. It reached English by 1700s as hotel. A French 'hôtel' was a grand town house; commercial hotels spread in the 1700s–1800s. Today, hotel means a commercial establishment providing lodging and meals for travelers.
- Stage 1 · Latin · ancient hospitale "a guest house", meaning "a guest house".
- Stage 2 · Old French · medieval hostel "lodging for travelers", carried the meaning of lodging for travelers.
- Stage 3 · French · 1600s hôtel "a large lodging establishment", narrowed to mean a large or fashionable lodging house.
- Stage 4 · English · 1700s hotel "a commercial establishment providing lodging", a French 'hôtel' was a grand town house; commercial hotels spread in the 1700s–1800s.