hosteller: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
Low/MediumNeutral, slightly formal. More commonly used in official forms, descriptions, and travel contexts than in casual conversation.
Quick answer
What does “hosteller” mean?
A person who stays in a hostel, a type of inexpensive accommodation with shared facilities.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A person who stays in a hostel, a type of inexpensive accommodation with shared facilities.
Primarily, someone residing in a hostel, often a young traveller or student on a budget. In some historical British usage, it could refer to a student or member of a religious house, but this is now archaic.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The spelling: 'hosteller' (BrE) vs. 'hosteler' (AmE). Both are accepted, but regional dictionaries show a preference. The concept is equally understood in both variants, though hostels have a stronger youth travel tradition in Europe.
Connotations
In BrE, it can evoke the classic youth hostelling association (e.g., YHA). In AmE, it may have slightly stronger connotations of a young backpacker or budget traveller on a gap year.
Frequency
The term is used in both regions but is more common in writing and travel industry contexts than in daily speech.
Grammar
How to Use “hosteller” in a Sentence
hosteller + from + [country/city]hosteller + at + [hostel name]hosteller + travelling + through + [region]Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “hosteller” in a Sentence
adjective
British English
- The hosteller lifestyle can be very social.
American English
- Hosteler culture varies widely from city to city.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Used by travel agencies, hostel booking platforms, and tourism boards to describe their customer demographic.
Academic
Rare, but could appear in sociological studies on tourism, travel behaviour, or youth culture.
Everyday
Used among travellers to self-identify or describe others using hostels.
Technical
Used in the hospitality and tourism industry to categorize types of accommodation users.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “hosteller”
- Misspelling: 'hosteler' (AmE) vs. 'hosteller' (BrE).
- Confusing with 'hotelier' (hotel manager/owner).
- Using it as a verb (to hosteller is incorrect; the verb is 'to stay in a hostel').
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Not exactly. A hosteller is defined by their accommodation choice (a hostel). A backpacker is defined by their travel style (carrying a backpack, often on a long, low-budget trip). Many backpackers are hostellers, but not all hostellers are backpackers (e.g., a student on a short trip).
No, that is usually a 'resident' or 'student resident'. 'Hosteller' strongly implies a commercial or charitable hostel for travellers.
No, 'hosteller' is gender-neutral.
There is no common direct verb. You would say 'to stay in a hostel' or 'to go hostelling' (especially in BrE, e.g., 'We went hostelling around Scotland').
A person who stays in a hostel, a type of inexpensive accommodation with shared facilities.
Hosteller is usually neutral, slightly formal. more commonly used in official forms, descriptions, and travel contexts than in casual conversation. in register.
Hosteller: in British English it is pronounced /ˈhɒstələ(r)/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈhɑːstələr/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “No specific idioms”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: A hosteller is a person who tells stories in a HOSTEL. (Hostel + teller → Hosteller).
Conceptual Metaphor
THE BUDGET TRAVELLER IS A NOMAD / THE HOSTEL IS A COMMUNITY HUB.
Practice
Quiz
Which spelling is more common in American English?