Inns

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ɪnz/

Definitions

1. Places that offer temporary housing and dining services to those traveling or in need of a short-term stay
2. Facilities designed to provide food and shelter for overnight guests, usually in a cozy setting
3. Buildings where travelers can stay overnight and eat meals in a welcoming atmosphere

Etymology: "Inns" is simply the plural of "inn," so the story belongs to the singular. An inn was originally a place where you were lodged or housed, and the word's root sense is "dwelling" or "abode" rather than anything to do with drink or lodging for travellers. Its relatives in Icelandic and Faroese, "inni" and "inni," still mean "a dwelling place, home" and "home" respectively, which shows the word once described a plain residence before it came to name a place for paying guests. The word traces back to Old English "inn," meaning a house or room, and it is related to the adverb "in." That link makes sense: an inn was the place you went inside, the interior that sheltered you. Over time the sense narrowed from any dwelling to a building offering food and shelter to travellers, while the older meaning of home survives in the Scandinavian cognates.

Synonyms: hostels, lodgings, hotels, motels, guesthouses