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Definition of excursion

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In Latin, the prefix ex- means "out of" and the verb currere means "to run." When the two are put together, they form the verb excurrere , literally "to run out" or "to extend." Excurrere gave rise not only to excursion but also to excurrent (an adjective for things having channels or currents that run outward) and excursus (meaning "an appendix or digression that contains further exposition of some point or topic"). Other words deriving from currere include corridor , curriculum , and among newer words, parkour .

Examples of excursion in a Sentence

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'excursion.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Latin excursion-, excursio , from excurrere

circa 1587, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

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Dictionary Entries Near excursion

excursional

Cite this Entry

“Excursion.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary , Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/excursion. Accessed 12 Apr. 2024.

Kids Definition

Kids definition of excursion.

from Latin excursio, excursion- "a going out," from excurrere "to run out, make an excursion, extend," from ex- "out, forth" and currere "to run" — related to current

Medical Definition

Medical definition of excursion, more from merriam-webster on excursion.

Nglish: Translation of excursion for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of excursion for Arabic Speakers

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Definition of 'excursion'

Video: pronunciation of excursion

excursion in British English

Excursion in american english, examples of 'excursion' in a sentence excursion, cobuild collocations excursion, trends of excursion.

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In other languages excursion

• American English : excursion / ɪkˈskɜrʒən /
• Brazilian Portuguese : excursão
• Chinese : 短途旅行
• European Spanish : excursión
• French : excursion
• German : Ausflug
• Italian : escursione
• Japanese : 小旅行
• Korean : 짧은 여행
• European Portuguese : excursão
• Latin American Spanish : excursión
• Thai : การเที่ยวพักผ่อนหย่อนใจ, การเที่ยวช่วงสั้นๆ

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Related terms of excursion

• boat excursion
• shore excursion
• fishing excursion
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Definition of excursion noun from the Oxford Advanced American Dictionary

• trip an act of traveling from one place to another, and usually back again: a business trip a five-minute trip by taxi
• journey an act of traveling from one place to another, especially when they are far apart: a long and difficult journey across the mountains
• A trip usually involves you going to a place and back again; a journey is usually one-way. A trip is often shorter than a journey , although it does not have to be: a trip to New York a round-the-world trip. It is often short in time, even if it is long in distance. Journey is more often used when the traveling takes a long time and is difficult.
• tour a journey made for pleasure during which several different places are visited: a tour of California
• commute the regular trip that a person makes when they travel to work and back home again: a two-hour commute into downtown Washington
• expedition an organized journey with a particular purpose, especially to find out about a place that is not well known: the first expedition to the South Pole
• excursion a short trip made for pleasure, especially one that has been organized for a group of people: We went on an all-day excursion to the island.
• outing a short trip made for pleasure or education, usually with a group of people and lasting no more than a day: My project team organized an afternoon outing to celebrate.
• an overseas trip/journey/tour/expedition
• a bus/train trip/journey/tour
• to go on a(n) trip/journey/tour/expedition/excursion/outing
• to set out/off on a(n) trip/journey/tour/expedition/excursion
• to take a(n) trip/journey/expedition/excursion

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Origin of excursion

Other words from excursion.

• ex·cur·sion·al, ex·cur·sion·ar·y, adjective
• pre·ex·cur·sion, noun

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

British Dictionary definitions for excursion

/ ( ɪkˈskɜːʃən , -ʒən ) /

a short outward and return journey, esp for relaxation, sightseeing, etc; outing

a group of people going on such a journey

(modifier) of or relating to special reduced rates offered on certain journeys by rail : an excursion ticket

a digression or deviation; diversion : an excursion into politics

(formerly) a raid or attack

a movement from an equilibrium position, as in an oscillation

the magnitude of this displacement

the normal movement of a movable bodily organ or part from its resting position, such as the lateral movement of the lower jaw

machinery the locus of a point on a moving part, esp the deflection of a whirling shaft

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

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ex·cur·sion

Ex•cur•sion.

A journey is the process of travelling from one place to another by land, air, or sea.

A trip is the process of travelling from one place to another, staying there, usually for a short time, and coming back again.

A voyage is a long journey from one place to another in a ship or spacecraft.

An excursion is a short trip made either as a tourist or in order to do a particular thing.

You make or go on a journey.

You take or go on a trip.

You make a voyage.

You go on an excursion.

Be Careful! Don't use 'do' with any of these words. Don't say, for example, ' We did a bus trip '.

• alarums and excursions
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• charge per unit
• Commonwealth of Australia
• conducted tour
• excretion disk
• excretory organ
• excretory product
• Excruciable
• excruciating
• excruciatingly
• excruciation
• Excubitorium
• exculpation
• exculpatory
• excursion rate
• excursion ticket
• excursion train
• excursionism
• excursionist
• excursionize
• Excuse me, that's my seat
• Excuse me, which bus goes to ...?
• exculpating
• exculpations
• exculpatorily
• exculpatory clause
• Exculpatory evidence
• Excuria Recovery Services, LLC
• Excursion Inlet Seaplane Base
• Excursion Limit
• Excursion liner
• Excursion Maximum
• Excursion of Suspension
• excursion steamer
• Excursion train
• Excursion trains
• excursionise
• excursionists
• Excursions Maritimes Tropéziennes
• excursively
• excursiveness
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excursion noun

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What does the noun excursion mean?

There are 12 meanings listed in OED's entry for the noun excursion , six of which are labelled obsolete. See ‘Meaning & use’ for definitions, usage, and quotation evidence.

excursion has developed meanings and uses in subjects including

Entry status

OED is undergoing a continuous programme of revision to modernize and improve definitions. This entry has not yet been fully revised.

How common is the noun excursion ?

How is the noun excursion pronounced, british english, where does the noun excursion come from.

Earliest known use

The earliest known use of the noun excursion is in the late 1500s.

OED's earliest evidence for excursion is from 1574, in the writing of John Whitgift, archbishop of Canterbury.

excursion is a borrowing from Latin.

It is derived from Latin excursiōn-em .

Nearby entries

• exculpation, n. a1715–
• exculpative, adj. a1832–
• exculpatory, adj. 1781–
• excur, v. 1656–
• excuriate, v. 1656–76
• excuriation, n. 1658
• excurrency, n. 1650–
• excurrent, adj. 1605–
• excurse, n. 1587
• excurse, v. 1748–
• excursion, n. 1574–
• excursion, v. 1792–
• excursional, adj. 1848–
• excursionary, adj. 1769–
• excursioner, n. 1786
• excursionism, n. 1886–
• excursionist, n. 1829–
• excursionize, v. 1827–
• excursive, adj. 1673–
• excursively, adv. 1791–
• excursiveness, n. 1753–

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Meaning & use

Pronunciation, compounds & derived words, entry history for excursion, n..

excursion, n. was first published in 1894; not yet revised.

excursion, n. was last modified in September 2023.

Revision of the OED is a long-term project. Entries in oed.com which have not been revised may include:

• corrections and revisions to definitions, pronunciation, etymology, headwords, variant spellings, quotations, and dates;
• new senses, phrases, and quotations which have been added in subsequent print and online updates.

Revisions and additions of this kind were last incorporated into excursion, n. in September 2023.

Earlier versions of this entry were published in:

OED First Edition (1894)

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OED Second Edition (1989)

• View excursion, n. in OED Second Edition

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Citation details

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Meaning of excursion – Learner’s Dictionary

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(Definition of excursion from the Cambridge Learner's Dictionary © Cambridge University Press)

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