n.
Pronunciation: ˌ ker- ə - ' van(t)-s ə -r ē , ˌ ka-r ə -
Variant: or car · a · van · se · rai \ -s ə - ˌ r ī \
Function: noun
Inflected Form: plural -ries or -rais or -rai
Etymology: Persian k ā rv ā nsar ā ī , from k ā rv ā n caravan + sar ā ī palace, inn
Date: 1599
1 : an inn surrounding a court in eastern countries where caravans rest at night
2 : HOTEL , INN