1. Plural of caravanserai; large fortified inns or roadside establishments in Middle Eastern and Central Asian countries that provided lodging and protection for merchant caravans and travelers.
Usage: historical; also spelled caravanserais or caravanserays; typically featured a central courtyard surrounded by rooms and stables

Examples

• The Silk Road was dotted with caravanserais where merchants could rest and trade goods.
• Ancient caravanserais served as crucial stops for caravans traveling across the desert.
• Many historic caravanserais in Turkey and Persia have been preserved as cultural monuments.
• Traders relied on caravanserais for safe shelter during their long journeys.
• The architecture of traditional caravanserais reflected the needs of traveling merchants and their animals.