lodging
LOJ-ing
/ˈlɒdʒɪŋ/
Temporary accommodation or a place to stay, such as a hotel, motel, or hostel.
A broad, collective term for any overnight shelter, often used in official or financial contexts.
The story behind the word. From Middle English 'logging', which comes from Old French 'loge' (arbor, hut), tracing back to a Frankish word 'laubja' meaning 'shelter of foliage'. It originally referred to a temporary shelter made of branches and leaves.
Word relationships
- accommodation: Accommodation is more common in British English and can include housing, while lodging is slightly more formal and specifically implies temporary overnight shelter.
- housing: Housing refers to long-term or permanent residential structures, whereas lodging is strictly temporary.
- displacement: Displacement is the state of having no home or shelter, the opposite of having lodging.
Commonly confused with
- lodge: A lodge is a specific type of building (like a rustic cabin), while lodging is the general category of temporary accommodation.
Word family
- lodge (verb): To provide with temporary quarters; to stay overnight.
- lodger (noun): A person who rents a room in another person's house.
Collocations
- board and lodging
- find lodging
- provide lodging
- lodging expenses
Example sentences
- "The company reimbursed me for my travel expenses, including food and lodging." A travel expense report
- "There is no formal lodging in the national park, so visitors must bring their own tents." A wilderness guide
Memory hook
Think of a 'log cabin'. A log cabin is a classic rustic lodging in the woods. Lodging is where you lodge for the night.
When not to use
Do not use when referring to a permanent home or a place where you only spend the day.
Fun facts
- In medieval times, a 'lodge' was a temporary workshop built alongside a cathedral construction site where the stonemasons lived and worked.
Related words
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