Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

bed and breakfast

Word Rarity Uncommon

Frequency: 4.48 in modern English

Syllables: bed and break-fast
IPA

28

Scrabble Score

15

Letters

2

Syllables

10

Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

A private home, guesthouse, small hotel etc. where guests are provided overnight accommodations and served breakfast but usually no other meals.

noun

A score of 26, made up of a score of 20, 1 and 5 in any order.

noun

The number 26.

Example Sentences

"The language of darts is a combination of hybrid Cockney slang, metaphor and phrases that “stuck” for no apparent reason except they sounded good. […] Bed ’n’ breakfast—the number 26 when scored by hitting a 20, 5, and 1; comes from the price of a bed and breakfast in Olde England which was 2/6d, two shillings and sixpence."
"This can be a lengthy procedure when neither team can do better than ‘bed and breakfast’ (26)."
"Bingo calls that might leave the budding old-timer generally baffled include:[…] 26 ― Bed and breakfast. Traditionally it would cost two and six – two shillings and six pence. Now its £180 a night but you get biscuits."

Etymology

From bed + breakfast, from having a bed for the night and breakfast in the morning on offer.

Inflected Forms

bed and breakfasts (plural) bed-and-breakfast (alternative) bed & breakfast (alternative)

Phrases

bed-and-breakfast deal bed-and-breakfasting bed-and-breakfast transaction

Frequently Paired Words

pension motel hotel inn room and board bed and board

Synonyms

B&B hotel inn lodging lodging house bed-and-breakfast

Questions

What does bed and breakfast mean?: A private home, guesthouse, small hotel etc. where guests are provided overnight accommodations and served breakfast but usually no other meals.
Where does bed and breakfast come from?: From bed + breakfast, from having a bed for the night and breakfast in the morning on offer.

How to pronounce bed and breakfast

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “bed and breakfast”.
Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling () so you know which sounds to aim for.
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Repeat and practice — Say “bed and breakfast” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.