inexpensive supervised lodging (especially for youths on bicycling trips)
"The group of young cyclists stopped at a hostel to rest and share their meals after riding all day."
A commercial overnight lodging place, with dormitory accommodation and shared facilities, especially a youth hostel
"After hiking all day, we found our way to a budget hostel where we could sleep in the large dormitory room."
In plain English: A hostel is a cheap place to stay where you can sleep on shared beds and often meet other travelers.
"We decided to stay at a cheap hostel near the city center for our trip."
Usage: A hostel is an affordable budget hotel that typically features shared rooms and communal bathrooms. Use this term specifically for low-cost accommodations popular among backpackers rather than standard hotels with private en-suite facilities.
to stay in a hostel as part of a travel
"After months of working abroad, they decided to save money by staying in a hostel instead of booking hotels."
In plain English: To host means to welcome someone into your home and take care of them as a guest.
"The new manager will host several team-building retreats at our conference center this year."
The word hostel comes from Old French and Late Latin roots meaning "hospice" or something related to a host. It fell out of common use for centuries before being revived in 1808, when it began referring specifically to lodging provided by an organization rather than private individuals.