inn

¹

[ in ]

noun

1. a commercial establishment that provides lodging, food, etc., for the public, especially travelers; small hotel.

   Synonyms: hostelry

2. a tavern.
3. (initial capital letter) British.
   1. any of several buildings in London formerly used as places of residence for students, especially law students. Compare Inns of Court.
   2. a legal society occupying such a building.

Inn

²

[ in ]

noun

1. a river in central Europe, flowing from S Switzerland through Austria and Germany into the Danube. 320 miles (515 km) long.

Inn

¹

/ ɪn /

noun

1. a river in central Europe, rising in Switzerland in Graubünden and flowing northeast through Austria and Bavaria to join the River Danube at Passau: forms part of the border between Austria and Germany. Length: 514 km (319 miles)

inn

²

/ ɪn /

noun

1. a pub or small hotel providing food and accommodation
2. (formerly, in England) a college or hall of residence for students, esp of law, now only in the names of such institutions as the Inns of Court

Other Words From

• innless adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of inn¹

First recorded before 1000; Middle English, Old English in(n) “house”; akin to Old Norse inni (adverb) “within, in the house”

Word History and Origins

Origin of inn¹

Old English; compare Old Norse inni inn, house, place of refuge

Synonym Study

See hotel.

Example Sentences

The Ishikawa region is also the perfect place to stay a traditional Japanese inn, called ryokan—try Beniya Mukayu.

From The Daily Beast

With these words I kissed him on the forehead and left the inn.

From The Daily Beast

By then, a revolution had begun with the 1969 riot at the mob-owned Stonewall Inn in New York.

From The Daily Beast

Then bed down in the seaside town of Mystic, Connecticut, with views of the wharf from your private room at the Steamboat Inn.

From The Daily Beast

The Broad Street Inn, a six-room Victorian charmer, waits at the end of the route.

From The Daily Beast

They took their chop or steak at their inn or hotel, or visited the tripe houses.

From Project Gutenberg

Elmer Spiker, mine host of the inn, was huddled close to the stove, and was reading by the light of a lamp.

From Project Gutenberg

A traveler coming into an inn in a very cold night, stood rather too close before the kitchen fire.

From Project Gutenberg

It rolled up the street, a vast machine of wood and leather, drawn by three horses, and drew up at the door of the inn.

From Project Gutenberg

They found the village inn to be a series of low, small buildings built on three sides of a courtyard.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• hostel
• hotel
• lodge
• motel
• resort
• saloon
• tavern