travel purpose synonyms

28 Beautiful Travel Words that Describe Wanderlust Perfectly

Describe your travels with these unique and beautiful travel words from different languages around the world.

I love travelling and I love languages, so imagine my excitement when I came across a treasure trove of travel words and wanderlust synonyms that describe how we feel before, during, and after we travel. 

Just like a photo can’t fully capture what it feels like to stand on the edge of a fjord , neither can ‘wanderlust’ fully express how we feel when we crave our next adventure. These travel words are literary gems which have been gathered from languages around the world. From Japanese to Swedish , Latin to Greek , travel brochures of the future will be peppered with travel words like of resfeber , livsnjutare, and coddiwomple .

Wanderlust meaning

As you’ll see in the list below, every language has its own variation of how it explains and defines what wanderlust is. In English, wanderlust means to have a strong desire for or impulse to travel, wander and explore the world.

Learn a language from home

During these times it can be bittersweet to think about travelling when we have to stay at home and practice social distancing, let this list of wanderlust-filled words inspire you to a learn a language from home and prepare yourself for your next trip. Being travel fluent is the best way to enrich your travel experiences.

Without further ado, here are 28 beautiful travel words you should slip into your vocabulary. When you’re done, take and look at this collection of inspirational travel quotes . I’d love to hear which ones are your favourites in the comment section below.

1. Resfeber  (n.)

Origin: Swedish

Definition: The meaning of resfeber refers to the restless race of the traveller’s heart before the journey begins when anxiety and anticipation are tangled together.

It’s that moment just after you buy your plane tickets and excitement and fear floods in all at once, creating a mixture of emotions that make you feel anxious or physically ill.

For more inspiration, don’t miss my guide to cool gifts for language learners and the best travel accessories and travel gadgets here.

2. Sonder (v.)

Origin: Unknown

Definition: The realisation that each passerby is living a life as complex as your own.

The full definition, taken from The Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows reads:

[Sonder is] the realization that each random passerby is living a life as vivid and complex as your own—populated with their own ambitions, friends, routines, worries, and inherited craziness—an epic story that continues invisibly around you like an anthill sprawling deep underground, with elaborate passageways to thousands of other lives that you’ll never know existed, in which you might appear only once, as an extra sipping coffee in the background, as a blur of traffic passing on the highway, as a lighted window at dusk.

I often feel this way when I pass groups of strangers, speaking a language that is completely foreign to me, and realise just how incredibly big the world is. We all have a life that is full of different connections, memories and possibilities. That’s sonder.

The internet suggests this may not be a real word, either way, the concept is beautiful.

3. Solivagant (adj.)

Origin: Latin

Definition: Wandering alone. A solitary adventurer who travels or wanders the globe.

Not all those who wander are lost, but all those who wander alone are definitely solivagants . From the Latin word solivagus , meaning lonely or solitary, solivagant describes anyone who enjoys meandering around new countries, alone, in order to take it all in.

4. Fernweh (n.)

Origin: German

Definition: This German word,means an ache to get away and travel to a distant place, a feeling  even stronger than wanderlust. If wanderlust wasn’t poetic enough for you, allow me to present fernweh , a German word that literally translates to “distance-sickness.”

While someone with wanderlust might sit at home and happily fantasise about all the places they might visit, someone with fernweh would feel a deeper sense of longing, a sort of homesickness but for foreign lands.  For me, it’s wanting to be back in Rome . Fernweh is one of most those beautiful untranslatable words I’ve ever come across.

Carry this beautiful word with you with my Fernweh T-Shirt available in men’s and ladies styles and black or white. Buy it here.

5. Sehnsucht (n.)

Definition: A wistful longing and yearning in the heart for travels past and future.

One author translated it as the “ inconsolable longing in the human heart for we know not what .” Another compared it to “ a longing for a far-off country, but not one which we could identify.”

When you return from travelling and wish you could do it all over again and experience every moment like it was the first.

6. Eleutheromania (n.)

Origin: Greek

Definition: An intense and irresistible desire for freedom.

We all want to be free, and travelling shows us how the freedom in the lives of others that is different from our own. Eleutheromania describes a person who has a strong desire and obsession for freedom.

7. Cockaigne (n.)

Origin: French , Middle French

Definition: An imaginary land of luxury and idleness.

Every destination seem like a wonderland or cockaigne before you set foot there and see it for yourself.

The term c ockaigne ” comes from the Middle French phrase pais de cocaigne, which literally means “the land of plenty.” The word was first popularised in a 13th-century French poem that is known in English as “The Land of Cockaigne.”

8. Quaquaversal (adj.)

Definition: Moving or happening in every direction instantaneously.

This perfectly describes my state when I’m in a new place and want to see and do everything at once.

9. Dérive (n)

Origin: French

Definition: A spontaneous and unplanned journey where the traveller leaves their life behind allows themselves to be guided by the landscape and architecture.

Literally translated as “drift”,  dérive is the idea that even if you drift you will end up on the right path. This could describe life in general, but it also describes small journeys. When you’re wandering through a new city and you just happen to wander on a path that takes you to great discoveries.

10. Ecophobia (n.)

Origin: English

Definition: This word came into English word via Greek and means a fear or dislike of one’s home.

I don’t dislike my home, but recently I can’t stop thinking about going back to Lofoten, Norway.

11. Numinous (adj.)

Definition: A powerful feeling of both fear and fascination, of being in awe and overwhelmed by what is before you.

Originally, this word refers to having a strong religious or spiritual quality; but it can also be used to describe how you feel when you see things that are so beautiful that you realise how wonderful the world is and the small part you play in it.   Hiking Trolltunga was a numinous moment for me.

12. Schwellenangst (n.)

Definition: Fear of crossing a threshold to begin a new chapter.

From s chwelle (“threshold”) and a ngst (“anxiety”), this word explains that feeling you get before deciding to set out on a new journey. Argh! Did I make the right decision?

13. Strikhedonia (n.)

Definition: The pleasure of being able to say “to hell with it”.

Another personal favourite word on this list. Not only is it the joy I feel, but the freedom to be able to say “to hell with it” and book that next trip and embark on your next adventure.

14. Vagary (v.)

Definition: A whimsical or roaming journey.

From Latin, vagārī meaning “ to roam”, is an unpredictable idea, desire or action to travelling without knowing the destination, and not caring.

15. Livsnjutare (n)

Definition: Literally meaning, “enjoyer of life”, this describes a person who loves life deeply and lives it to the extreme.

If you’re reading this, that’s probably you!  Need more inspiration?

16. Commuovere (v.)

Origin: Italian

Definition: To stir, to touch, to move to tears.

Just like the euphoric emotions I felt whilst whale watching.

17. Sturmfrei (adj.)

Definition: The freedom of being alone and being able to do what you want.

Literally translating to “stormfree”, this describes the freedom of not being watched by others and being alone in a place where you have the freedom and ability to do what you want.

Another great German word. Travelling solo can be especially rewarding because you have complete control. No compromises, no one else to please. Just you and the big wide world.

18. Saudade (n.)

Origin: Portuguese

Definition: This Portuguese word describes the emotional state of nostalgia and longing for someone or something distant. S audade  was once described as “the love that remains” after someone is gone.

Saudade  is the recollection of feelings, experiences, places, or events that brought excitement and happiness but now triggers the senses and makes one live again.

19. Yūgen (n.)

Origin: Japanese

Definition: A profound and mysterious sense of the beauty of the universe.

An awareness of the Universe that triggers emotional responses too deep and powerful for words.

20. Acatalepsy (n.)

Definition: The impossibility of comprehending the universe.

Henry Miller said “ One’s destination is never a place, but a new way of seeing things. ” Do we ever really understand the world and what we see on our  travels,  and how they mould us? Sometimes, if at all, it takes time to discover how these things change our lives.

21. Trouvaille (n.)

Definition: A chance encounter with something wonderful.

Whether it’s stumbling across a hidden back street, a quaint cafe, or connecting with a local, trouvaille describes those magical moments we experience in our journeys. 

22. Hygge (n.)

Origin: Danish

Definition: Pronounced hue-guh , hygge describes the warm feeling you get while enjoying the company of great friends and all life has to offer.

Hygge is the conscious appreciation of recognising everything you have and enjoying to the present moment.

23. Onism (n.)

Definition: The world is a big place as not everyone will get to see it. Onism describes understanding that we’ll never get to see it all. It’s the frustration of being stuck in just one body that can only inhabit one place at a time. I felt this way before going to Copenhagen !

Similar to the Swedish word ‘resfeber’, onism describes the feeling of knowing that you’ll never be able to see it all. They say that the more you travel, the harder it gets to stay in one place.

24. Novaturient (adj.)

Definition: A desire to change and alter your life.

This was exactly how I felt when I quit my job and moved to Rome . There was this strong urge that pulled me towards my dream of pursuing a life of speaking Italian and travelling. I knew I  wouldn’t be living my life if I didn’t go.

25. Yoko meshi (n.)

Definition: This untranslatable gem describes the stress of speaking a foreign language .

The Japanese word ‘meshi’ literally means ‘boiled rice’ and ‘yoko’ means ‘horizontal,’ together it means ‘a meal eaten sideways.’ The Japanese have created a beautiful way of describing the unique kind of stress you experience when speaking a foreign language. Furthermore, ‘yoko’ also references the fact that Japanese is normally written vertically, whereas most foreign languages are written horizontally. Clever, right?

Related: 69 Wonderful Japanese Expressions That Will Brighten Your Day

26. Selcouth (adj.)

Origin: Old English

Definition: When everything you see and experience is unfamiliar and strange, yet you find it marvellous anyway.

It’s that feeling you get when you travel to a foreign land and food, culture, customs, or language, is strange and different to everything you’ve experienced before, yet you love it and find it fascinating.

27. Eudaimonia (n.)

Definition: A state of being happy whilst travelling and everything feels great.

That intense excitement and appreciation when you travel and everything feels great. Seeing the Northern Lights was one of the best experiences of my life, a feeling I won’t forget.

28. Coddiwomple (v.)

Origin: English slang

Definition: To travel purposefully towards an unknown destination.

A brilliant word, coddiwomple is when you have a vague idea of your destination within a care for how long it takes to arrive. A great example is when you go hiking, you know you’ll eventually reach the summit, but every part of the trail along the way is just as beautiful.    Like the time I hiked Norway’s Trolltunga.

If you enjoyed these words, then let wordsmiths Stephen King, Mark Twain and the Dalai Lama transport you around the world with these inspirational travel quotes or start using some of the beautiful untranslatable words from other languages.

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Over to you!

Which one of these travel words do you identify with the most? What others would you add? Let me know using the comments section below or join me on social media to start a conversation.

Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed this post.

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Michele creates language learning guides and courses for travel. What separates her from other instructors is her ability to explain complex grammar in a no-nonsense, straightforward manner using her unique 80/20 method. Get her free guide 9 reasons you’re not fluent…YET & how to fix it! Planning a trip? Learn the local language with her 80/20 method for less than the cost of eating at a tourist trap restaurant Start learning today!

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124 inspirational travel quotes that’ll make you want to travel in 2022, 12 comments.

Amazing list! One word I’d add is the Dutch word “gezellig” or “gezelligheid” – similarly to hygge, it describes a feeling of warmth/comfort/coziness/quaintness in certain settings or around certain people.

Thank you so much for sharing this Heba. So interesting to learn that Dutch has a similar word :)

This is such a fun article! Love these words and phrases!

Glad to hear it! Thank you so much, Eric :)

So many of these describe me or my feelings about seeing the world. But, if I had to pick one, the one that best describes how I choose my destinations would be “selcouth”. I so want to be a stranger in a strange land. To have my belief that there is no such thing as “normal” affirmed again and again and over again.

What a beautiful word. Thanks for sharing, Janet :)

Thanks Michele what a wonderful list of inspirational words. It nearly made me cry as I realised that I suffer from acute eleutheromania! ha

Thanks Juliana :) I’m so glad you enjoyed this list. Eleutheromania? I know how you feel hehe

Unique list i must say – If you want to add one more word than check this !

In Hindi language (India) traveler called as “Musafir”

thanks Niraj :)

Thanks for sharing this! Really enjoyed it a lot ❤

Thanks Donah, I’m so glad you enjoyed it ;)

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Get Inspired

42 inspiring & unusual travel words (besides wanderlust).

We’ve all tried to find words to describe a travel experience, and sometimes nothing seems to quite explain it right.

I love discovering new ways to express myself, and over the years I’ve slowly collected the below list of creative travel words that are either not commonly used in English or are from another language or are words that describe travel emotions we go through much better.

If you’re a bit of a Pinterest addict like me you might have heard some of these alternative words for travel before, but hopefully, some are new.

After all, we could all use some other words for wanderlust!

These are just a few of my favourite words associated with travel.

As someone who writes about travel all the time, I love finding new words for travel and to describe travel experiences.

Everyone knows wanderlust, but are there words for wanderlust in other languages, or even just another word for travel too? 

I first wrote this post back in 2015 with just 24 new travel words that I had found over the course of the year while I was living abroad in Spain .

Since then I’ve come across many more so I’ve updated it to include the new ones!

Each travel word definition has been written in my own words, with a photo of my own, and examples from my own experiences. 

I hope that you’re able to learn some new words for travel (that aren’t wanderlust but are other words for wanderlust!) and be a bit inspired by them like I have been!

The unusual travel words you need to know:

Resfeber  (n), origin – swedish.

The tangled feelings of fear and excitement before a journey begins.

This is one of the most popular words associated with travel and all over Pinterest!

We’ve all felt this. That jolt in your heart when you book your flights, or when you tell your family and friends what you’re about to do.

Now that feeling has a word you can use!

This feeling is for new travellers and old alike. I still feel it when I embark on new journeys, especially before I moved to Spain to teach English .

Fernweh (n)

Origin: german.

Farsickness. An urge to travel even stronger than wanderlust.

That feeling you get when you’ve been home too long and you ache to be out into the world again.

Sometimes you don’t know where you want to be, but you know that it’s away. Sometimes you know where, and you want to get there as quickly as possible. This is that feeling.

I’ve had a serious case of the post travel blues , and felt this to the extreme!

It’s one of my favourite words related to travel, since it really does describe how I’ve felt on so many different occasions.

Origin: French

To drift unplanned, led only by the landscape and architecture around you.

The idea that even if you drift you will end up falling into a path that is lined out for you by your surroundings. This could describe life overall, but it also describes small journeys.

When you’re wandering through a new city and you just happen to wander on a path that takes you to great discoveries.

This happened to me in Stockholm, when I went to the archipelago and saw absolutely nothing of the city, and again in Lisbon where we made no plans and just let the city show us where to go.

This is a travel word I’ve seen less often, probably because many of us love to plan our trips, tick things off a bucket list and not miss out, but sometimes if you just allow yourself to wander you’ll find the most unexpected and best things of your trip.

Numinous (adj)

Origin: latin.

Feeling both fearful and awed by what is before you.

I don’t know why but there’s something intriguing about finding Latin words for travel. Maybe it’s because it’s not a language we really use anymore, but it forms the basis for so much of ours now.

There are quite a lot of words for travelling that are Latin based, or that we can turn into a word associated with travel.

Firstly referring to divinity, but I think it is a wonderful way to describe how you feel when you see things that are so amazing you’re not sure whether to be amazed or realise your own insignificance in the world. It’s the magical feeling when you see something truly awe-inspiring, be it the scenery before you, or just something amazing falls into place when you’re travelling.

Visiting the rice terraces of China was that moment for me.

Schwellenangst (n)

Fear of crossing a threshold to embark on something new.

Ok so this German word isn’t traditionally a word related to travel but it could be used as one of those words to describe a travel experience now.

Maybe referring literally to a door, but a great way to explain that feeling you might have before deciding to set out on a new journey.

Did you make the right decision? Those questioning feelings now have a name. I thought I might have made a mistake in moving to Spain but really, it was just this feeling of fearing something new.

Strikhedonia (n)

Origin: greek.

The joy of being able to say “to hell with it”.

A popular Greek word associated with travel!

This is what you can do when you decide to quit everything, stop making excuses , and explore the world.

Something you say when you book your flights or you decide to do something on your journey that you wouldn’t normally do. You’re travelling, who cares right?!

Now you have a word related to travel for that awesome feeling.

A wandering or roaming journey.

An unpredictable idea, desire or action.

Travelling without knowing the destination, and it doesn’t matter.

I got completely lost with friends in the Alpujarras in southern Spain , and it didn’t matter one bit. This is another Latin word for travel that we should definitely bring back into our vocabulary!

Sehnsucht (n)

A wistful longing and yearning in the heart for travels that have been and travels to come.

When you’re not travelling this can be an overwhelming feeling, or when you think about the travel you’ve done and you wish you could relive it all over again.

This feeling is why you need to make the most of every moment! It’s why the more you travel, the harder it gets .

This is one of those other words for wanderlust that we could use instead, although not as easy to say I admit!

Eleutheromania (n)

The intense desire for freedom.

This is probably one of the closest words to explaining wanderlust in different languages. People often say that travelling makes them feel free, and eleutheromania is the desire for this feeling.

We seem to find freedom in other cultures, or just in being outside the norm, and when you stop travelling, you crave it again.

I think this is what led me to make the crazy decision to move abroad for the first time at 16 !

Definitely one of my favourite other words for wanderlust and a firm favourite on Pinterest when you look for travel words.

Livsnjutare (n)

Origin: swedish.

Someone who loves life deeply and lives it to the extreme.

Someone I try to be. One that takes chances, takes risks, and always chooses the adventure .

This other word for travel could be used in place for wanderluster, nomad or traveller.  We could all stand to appreciate what we have and make the most of life, and so this is an inspirational travel word! 

Sturmfrei (adj)

The freedom of being alone and having the ability to do what you want.

Travelling solo can be especially rewarding because it’s all up to you. You can make your travel journey exactly how you want it to be. No compromises, no one else to please. Just you and the road.

You might meet amazing people when you travel , but being on your own is real freedom.

This isn’t traditionally a word associated with travel either, but instead with being in a place alone or without supervision from your parents, so like when they leave you at home for the weekend as a teenager.

But isn’t that slightly giddy feeling of being able to do whatever we want similar to how we feel when we travel? No one’s watching, so you can be who you want and let go!

Solivagant (adj)

Wandering alone.

The kind of traveller many of us are. Solo travel has exploded so much that it is no longer out of the ordinary.

As most solo travellers know, you’re not alone for long as you make your friends on the road . But sometimes, it’s the wandering journey you take alone that is the most rewarding.

This is a word for someone that travels a lot or someone on a solo journey.

It’s definitely a popular description amongst travel bloggers too!

Saudade (n)

Origin: portuguese.

Nostalgia and the love that remains. A desire to be near to something or someone distant.

This is a travel word for after your journey ends and you just want to be back where you were, or with the people you met on the way. It’s the feeling that’s left after it all ends.

It’s what makes you want to return to your favourite place , even if you know it might not be the same. Part of the definition of this travel word is also about looking forward positively to the future!

Origin: Japanese

An awareness of the universe that triggers emotional responses too deep and mysterious for words.

That feeling when it’s dark and you look at the stars and your wonder for all the things in the world wells up inside of you.

I felt like this when I saw the northern lights in Iceland during the wintertime . It was the most amazing experience and if I had any word to describe it then this would be it!

Acatalepsy (n)

The idea that it is impossible to truly comprehend anything.

Acatalepsy is a word that we can associate with travel. 

Can you truly understand your travels, the things you see, and how they affect you?

Sometimes it takes time to process how travel might have changed your life, and sometimes we never truly know why we take the journeys we do and what they’ll mean for us until afterward.

We can reflect on amazing travel moments , but never fully know their impact until much later! 

Origin: In doubt

The realisation every person is living their own vivid life.

I stumbled across this word and fell in love with the meaning, as it’s something I sometimes think about. How each person’s life is as full of different connections, memories, and possibilities as my own.

Although research tells me Sonder may not be a real word, the concept is beautiful and I think it can be a word closely associated with travel.

When we’re travelling we realise how everyone is living their own different and vivid life, sometimes close to our own and sometimes on a completely other level!

Trouvaille (n)

Something lovely found by chance.

A street, cafe, an experience stumbled upon by luck.

I love when this happens in my travels. A moment drinking coffee under a lemon tree in the south of Spain , a garden or a lake or a swimming hole discovered with no one else around.

I love finding alternative words to describe a travel experience, and this is a great one! It’s so important to appreciate the little things, especially when we come across them in an unexpected way. 

Origin: Danish

The cosy feeling you get while you’re enjoying the good things in life with friends.

When you’re out for a meal with people you met during your travels , and you feel content and right.

That feeling that you’re right where you’re meant to be.

This isn’t traditionally associated with travel and has become much more popular in recent years as a word describing a Danish way of living.

This word is now much more popular and well known than when I first wrote this post when I was an expat ! When I first came across it in 2015 I’d never heard of it before at all!

And I love that.

To me, it sounded like a word to describe the experiences I’d had while travelling, when I’d met an amazing group of people and we were enjoying a shared meal together at the end of an awesome day of exploring.

Origin: The Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows – John Koenig

Awareness of how little of the world you’ll experience.

When you’re staring at the departures board and wishing you could go to all of those places at once.

It’s possible that the more you travel the harder it gets , and this is one of the reasons why. You can live abroad to try and travel more, but there’s still only so much to be seen.

This travel word is a little different in that it isn’t from another language but instead from a book.

However, it is another word that describes travel in that you’ll never reach the end of your exploration.

Travelling just makes you realise how much of the world there is still to see, and fuels your wanderlust even more!

Novaturient (adj)

A desire to change and alter your life.

This word for travel lovers describes the feeling that pushes you to travel.

When you know you’re not living the life you could be and there must be more out there for you.

It’s time to go and find it . I’ve never regretted travelling or moving abroad , even alone . It’s this knowledge and this feeling that makes me keep doing it!

Yoko meshi (n)

The stress of speaking a foreign language.

Literally translates to, “a meal eaten sideways”, and how I felt about speaking Spanish when I moved to Spain!

When people would tell me to “just start speaking” and it’s really not that easy.

Can you really learn a language just by moving abroad ? Maybe not, but you can try. Just be prepared for this feeling that you now have a travel word to describe!

Selcouth (adj)

Origin: old english.

Strange and uncommon, the way you see things when you travel.

Everything seems different and foreign, and it’s a good thing. We travel to seek out the things we don’t have at home .

This is another word that we can make into a word for travel, even though it doesn’t traditionally mean that.

It is one I could kind of see myself using to describe the odd things I’ve come across while travelling!

Eudaimonia (n)

The contented happy state.

That bursting feeling in your chest when you travel when it all feels right. The constant change in travel often puts our senses in overdrive and the highs are higher than ever. 

Learning to dive on the Great Barrier Reef was one of the best experiences of my life, and I won’t soon forget this feeling.

This Greek word is actually related to a philosophy that has been translated as meaning happiness or well-being, but I think that it’s the way we often feel when we travel, so it’s a word for travel lovers too!

Coddiwomple (v)

Origin: english slang.

To travel purposefully towards a vague destination.

When you have an idea of where you’re going, but it doesn’t matter how long it takes to get there.

The road doesn’t have to be a straight one. In fact, sometimes it’s better when it’s not .

I love this travel word because I can imagine an old English gentleman discussing his latest “coddiwomple”!

Flâneur (n)

Someone who strolls aimlessly but enjoyably, observing life and the surroundings.

This is what I love to do when I get to a new city, or through the countryside .

When we travel we seem to have fewer worries in general, allowing us to place ourselves more IN the moment.

Plus walking a city and people watching is a great way to learn about a new culture! It’s also a lovely way to spend a romantic date !

Nefelibata (n)

“Cloud-Walker”. One who lives in the clouds of their own imagination, or who does not obey the conventions of society, literature or art. An unconventional person.

Probably the way people have described me on occasion!

For those who don’t travel, or don’t know how to begin, the idea can seem fantastical and unconventional.

But these days there are so many people breaking free of “cubicle” life and working as digital nomads with the world as their office, working different travel jobs ,  saving to move abroad , or taking a year off to travel. Phil and I now work for ourselves and travel as we like (with kids!).

It may be unconventional to some, but for the rest of us, it’s life.

Brumous (adj.)

Origin: english.

Of gray skies and winter days, filled with heavy clouds or fog.

This may be a travel word you only use if you travel to the United Kingdom, especially in Scotland (it’s not the weather though, you just need the right clothes !)

It’s well known as the land of rainy days and fog, and I’ve experienced first hand.

However, I visited the Isle of Skye , one of the beautiful places in the UK, in the wind and rain and it was no less amazing. So really, I don’t mind if I have to describe some of my travels this way.

Vorfreude (n)

The joyful, intense anticipation that comes from imagining future pleasures.

When we book a new trip and in the time before we go, this is the way we often feel.

We can think about the people we’ll meet , and all the exciting things we’re going to experience.

I love watching movies about places I want to go and then imagining myself there too, which is basically this feeling!

Commuovere (v)

Origin: italian.

Heartwarming, something that stirs and moves you.

I love finding new words that don’t translate into English. This one is a prime example of a word that is difficult to explain, but the best I can do is heartwarming, something that moves you to tears in a good way.

Maybe you’re wondering how this relates to travel… crying?!

Well, I’ve definitely shed a few tears over travel, from the good to the bad, and I’ve definitely been moved and awed by the things that I’ve seen.

Peregrinate (v)

Travel or wander around from place to place.

A pretty simple word that we could use to describe our travels and yet it seems to have fallen out of favour. “We peregrinated around the Scottish Highlands .” It works right?!

Nemophilist (n)

Origin: english.

A haunter of woods, one who loves the forest and it’s beauty and solitude.

There’s something magical about walking through the woods, and even more so in a foreign country.

When I lived in Canada on a study abroad one of my favourite things to do was wander through the huge forests there. So much so my new friends and I once got lost for 8 hours…

Querencia (n)

Origin: spanish.

The place where you are your most authentic self, from where strength is drawn, where you feel at home.

I’m so excited to have a Spanish word, after learning Spanish while giving in Spain.

This word comes is related to the verb querer , which is to want or desire.

It can be associated with bullfighting, as it is also the name for the area of the bullring where the bull takes its stand, but I like to think of it more as a travel word, of course.

Komorebi (n)

The sunlight that filters through the leaves of trees.

If you’re on those forest walks when you’re travelling like above, then this is hopefully what you’ll see!

Another unusual word that doesn’t translate directly into an English word, but one that describes a beautiful sight.

Hireath (n)

Origin: welsh.

A homesickness for a home to which you cannot return, a home which maybe never was. The nostalgia, the yearning, the grief for the lost places of your past.

Homesickness isn’t quite the right translation for this beautiful Welsh word, it’s more than that. It’s one of my favourites though as I often reminisce about my previous travels and times in my life.

It’s strange to think back to times like our babymoon in France , and how we had no idea what was ahead of us. As much as I love our life now I sometimes wish to live those times again!

Smultronställe (n)

Literally “place of wild strawberries” a special place discovered, treasured, returned to for solace and relaxation; a personal idyll free from stress or sadness.

When I went to Luleå in the north of Sweden in summer we discovered wild strawberries growing on an island in the middle of the archipelago.

That’s what I think of when I see this word because what better place to be? These are often the kind of places we discover when we travel.

Mångata (n)

The reflection of the moon on the water.

Something I only seem to see or see the most when I’m travelling.

It reminds me of being by the sea, of the Full Moon Party in Thailand and of the early darkness when I lived in the Gold Coast, Australia, where this photo was taken!

Photophile (n)

Origin: possibly english or greek.

A person who loves photography and light.

This one is a little in dispute. It could originate from the word for organisms that love light, “photophilic”, but have been adjusted to fit with photographers too.

Or, it could come from the same origins as “hodophile” in that “phos” means light and “philos” means friends. I can’t find concrete evidence either way, but that’s the beauty of finding new words!

Photophiles carry their camera wherever they go, and many travellers now do the same.

I used to have an old point and shoot camera, and then I stuck to mostly iPhone before finally getting a “proper” camera. I’ve been testing it out in Spain at places like the Alhambra , and in Portugal around the streets of Lisbon .

But there was nothing quite like the midnight sun in Luleå last summer.

Dépaysement (adj.)

Feeling that comes from not being in one’s own country. Being out of your element, a fish out of water.

Living abroad has often made me feel like this , especially in the early days.

Sometimes we can idealise moving abroad and not realise how it will affect us , but eventually, a place will feel like home, even if it’s a different concept of home than before.

Hodophile (adj.)

“Lover of roads”. One who loves to travel.

Does this travel word really need an explanation?

There’s something magical about setting out on a trip with the open road before you. My absolute favourite was driving across the Nullabor in Australia! It’s one of the longest straight roads in the world.

Cockaigne (n)

Origin: an english word with french origin.

Imaginary land of luxury and idleness; the land of plenty.

This word originates from a medieval myth, a land of plenty where society’s restrictions are defined and the harshness of life in medieval times does not exist.

Although we’re not in this time anymore, we could use this word to describe our ideal land of plenty now. One where people are not persecuted for their religion or race, one where equality reigns supreme, maybe one we will all be able to travel to one day?

Wayfarer (n)

Someone who travels, especially on foot.

Maybe not as unusual a word as some on this list, and one that you may already know. I considered making this my blog name when I started blogging !

It’s a word that makes me think of older times when people travelled in a more whimsical way that had nothing to do with social media. You went wherever the wind took you!

Absquatulate (v)

Origin: north american english.

To leave without saying goodbye.

Invented in the US in the 1830s as a word that sounded vaguely Latin, to make it seem older.

It means to make off with someone or something without announcing you’re going! The way many of us might feel we want to leave for our travels. No fuss, please!

Have you heard of these travel words and would you use them? Do you think they explain things better than we usually can?

If you liked them, pin them!

Sonja - Migrating Miss

Sonja is from New Zealand but now lives in Scotland with her husband and two little boys, after having lived in 5 other countries along the way including the USA, Australia, Canada, and Spain. Travelling has always been her passion and she has now made it her full-time job and worked in the industry for the last 8 years. She shares her living abroad experiences and best tips to make your travel experiences the best they can be!

55 thoughts on “ 42 Inspiring & Unusual Travel Words (Besides Wanderlust) ”

Amazing list! Looking to impress a number of my fellow travelers with this list now!

I swear some of them can be worked in to normal conversation! Others may be a little different but it’s so nice to have words that describe those travel feelings.

Sonja, that’s a great one!! Sharing it all over now:) love all the words and the idea of such a post:)

Thanks so much Monika! I have been sitting on all of these for a long time. They are saved all over my phone and written in personal journals, so I thought it was time to share!

I’d add: ecdemomania <3

That’s a good one I didn’t have! I’ll have to add it to the next list 🙂

I absolutely love these! I so often find myself having a hard time describing my deep seeded need to get away, always be moving, or travel solo. The long pause and struggle I have to express the answer to “why” when asked about my journeys can feel very awkwardly isolating, and not in the good way of standing alone on a mountain top or wandering an empty desert. I like to feel all alone in the world sometimes but other times, I want to be a part of something, a community, and understood. Seeing words like you have dug up to share in this post do just that. The fact that there are words in so many languages to describe exactly how I feel, means that I am not really alone, even when I have been on a road with no signs of humans for days!

Thanks Bethany! You are definitely not alone! I too loved discovering that there are words that actually describe how I feel when I can’t even really describe it myself. It means that there are other’s that have felt like this, and so much so that whole words have been created for it. I hope you find a way to explain how you feel and why you want travel and movement in your life. All the best x

Wow, I love these, thank-you!

Thanks! I’ve been collecting them for awhile, I love finding out about different words that we can use to explain our feelings, not that I would end up actually saying most of these!

Your list of words is awesome! But Germans actually don’t use “sturmfrei” in the context of traveling. It’s being said when your parents have left home for one or more nights so you can invite friends and party. 😉 it’s not a description about how we feel, it’s more a description of the situation itself. I definitely like your interpretation – hopefully it’ll become a part of travelers diaries.

Thanks Josi! It’s good to know the real meaning behind the word. I like the idea of trying to adapt it as a travel word too, so fingers crossed others see it like you too! 🙂

Thank you Sonja, This was a fun list. I doubt I will be able to work them into my vocabulary. I don’t think I can even pronounce most of them. Perhaps it would be fun to have a follow up post that included the pronunciation of each. You clearly have comfort with many languages. I envy that. Happy Trails to You, Michelle

Haha no they are not exactly everyday words! I think a few may be easier than others, but anyone actually understanding them is the problem! I love the idea that sometimes other languages can explain things better than English though, and I do find it fascinating in learning Spanish that things are not always a direct translation. The use of words can be so different! Happy travels to you too!

I loved reading these words! Thanks for finding them and creating the pin for them! What an excellent way to express our traveling emotions!

Thanks so much! You’re most welcome :). I have to admit I don’t use them a whole lot in my blog writing, but I just love them!

I love your words. Thank you.

Thanks for your comment!

This is a great list, I enjoyed it! Thanks. However, I just want to correct a minor detail. While I was reading along, I got surprised by the word “onism” as I am Danish and has never in my life heard of this word before, whereas “hygge”, the other Danish word on your list, is very commonly used. I looked up “onism” on the internet and found that it comes from The Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows which is a compendium of invented words written by John Koenig. I suppose it is made as a combination between the words “monism” (Greek?) and “onanism” (English?), so there is nothing Danish about its origin (at least not that I could find) x

Thanks Ida! I tried to research everything as much as I could (hours in fact haha) and I’m not sure how I ended up with that one! I’ll take another look but I suspect I’ll find the same as you and change it! Thanks again 🙂 x

I loved reading this post and found myself relating to almost every one! ? Thought the accompanying photos were perfect too. It’s given me inspiration for a new travel/art journal …

Thanks so much! It makes me really happy to hear I’ve given someone else inspiration 🙂 🙂

Wow !! Love them.. I was actually looking for a new word which would describe my travel agency. I think I should be able to come up with something using the list of words, u’ve mentioned in this post.

That’s great I’m glad they’re able to help you! Best of luck.

Thnx a lot for giving this sort of knowledge about the words who r completely new to me. Keep posting these words along with their meaning it helps a lot.

Thanks dea… It perfectely helped me to explain my inner feelings , but some words have difficulty in pronouncing . I wrote down every word in ma notebook for future description pf my Travel Thanks alot yaar <3

Hi, I would like to know if there is a word for this feeling describes below,

‘I feel at home when I’m travelling, but when I’m actually at home, I feel weird.

I don’t think wanderlust is the word, can you please help me?

I’m sorry I’m not sure! I only know these words and the other post I did about unusual travel words. It’s possible something exists though and I’ll keep an eye out since I love finding unusual words 🙂

Was looking for travel words from Greek origin, and have found it, thanks so much. Love your page as well, maybe we see each other on the road sometime 🙂

Thanks so much! I’m glad they’re useful 🙂

So who copied who? 🙂 https://www.theintrepidguide.com/travel-words-that-describe-wanderlust-perfectly/#.WjWJFCPMwmo

Great list!

OMG!!!! Thanks for bringing this to my attention!!! I can’t believe how similar some of the wording of this is!!! 🙁 🙁 🙁 I first published this in early 2016.

Thank you for compiling such a great list! I may be incorrect, but shouldn’t ‘Vagary’ be listed as a noun rather than a verb?

It appears it’s listed as a noun now to mean something unpredictable but it came from the verb to wander!

So great to see Eleutheromania included in the list, passionate about freedom!

One of my favourites!

This is a very impressive, creative and original list. Will revisit many times. Thanks for sharing 🙂

42? How did anyone even get to this comment section? I had to scroll for 2 days just to get to leave this comment. This is really outrageous. 7 would have been plenty. We are internet users here, not book readers.

Two days well spent I’m sure 😉

When one is confined within the four corners of the home, because of the pandemic, this list is very encouraging! Thank you Sonja, many of the words here describes various emotions I have already experienced. Two more weeks of lockdown, I have time to do a project, finding my travel photos that match the words :).

Love this post! I’m feeling so much fernweh at the moment <3

Same here!!

Thank you so much for these! At this time of great challenges in the world, it is comforting to know that I can read the wonderful words you have compiled to capture all the positive feelings travel evokes. Slainte!

I couldn’t find all of these travel words anywhere else. You know, I am gonna bookmark it right away. Thanks for sharing these travel phrases. I love it. Looking forward to reading more of these informative articles 🙂

Amazing read. Needed these for getting a travel domain name. Bookmarked this post already. It’s very useful. Looking forward to reading more of these awesome travel blogs.

Ha ha what a random post! Learned so many new words from this, excited to casually *drop* them into my conversations

Haha so many! I mean, half I think I’ve never said but it’s fun to learn their meaning and find words that can describe the things we feel and think when we travel x

Wonderful article, it must have taken a lot of work to put together so many words 🙂

Thanks! I collected them over a few years and then reworded in my own words :).

Nice article. Thanks for sharing these travel phrases. Looking forward to reading more of these informative articles .

Stunning article, loved to read. will read more for sure…

Was very helpful article

I love this list of inspiring words for travel! I’m always looking for new ways to explore new places and this list has given me some great ideas.

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Travel with a Purpose: Your Guide to Meaningful Journeys

I have traveled with a purpose: to open my eyes, challenge my views on life, and connect with the world around me. Traveling with a purpose makes you more mindful of your consumption, aids personal growth, and builds connections with others.

Are you eager to become a better traveler and be in tune with yourself? Let’s dive into how figuring out your “why,” documenting your journeys, and making a difference while traveling can enrich your experiences.

Many of us share the frustration of not wanting to travel mindlessly, support large corporations, or allow life to pass us by. I remember feeling the same way, which led me to create a bucketlist of destinations that would fulfill my wanderlust and contribute to my personal growth.

This post is tailored for eco-travelers looking to make a positive impact through purposeful travel. Join me in exploring the world with intention and eco-conscious choices.

Preview Contents

Why Travel With A Purpose?

Before you pack your bags, knowing what it means to travel with a purpose is important. Purposeful travel is far more than a catchphrase; it’s a philosophy that underpins every decision you make on the road. It can encompass various factors.

• Mindful Exploration : The intent to engage fully with your environment, immersing in the moment and appreciating the uniqueness of your location.
• Conscious Consumption : Making choices that minimize negative impacts on the local community and environment, such as supporting local businesses and avoiding single-use plastics .
• Personal Growth : Using your travel experiences to learn, challenge your beliefs, and grow.
• Responsible Adventure : Adventuring while respecting the environment and the local people, where safety is balanced with a desire to step outside of one’s comfort zone.
• Connecting with Others : Seeking genuine connections with new people and cultures, bridging gaps, and fostering understanding.

These are the pillars that support the travel-with-a-purpose edifice. When followed, they enrich your experiences and contribute positively to the greater global community.

Figure Out Your Travel Style

The first way to travel with a purpose is to  find your travel style . With so many styles to adopt, from backpacking to luxury, it’s essential to find the one that resonates most with you. My travel style is a patchwork of adventure and culture.

I love the challenge of hiking a remote trail just as much as I enjoy savoring the intricate flavors of an authentic street food market. When planning my trips, I ensure a blend of high-energy pursuits and downtime to soak in local art, traditions, and everyday life. Here are some genres to consider for your own travel style.

• Adventure Travelers  seek thrilling experiences, like climbing mountains, scuba-diving, or skydiving.
• Eco-Travelers  prioritize destinations and activities that minimize their carbon footprint and environmental impact.
• Cultural Explorers  immerse themselves in the day-to-day life of local communities, often learning new languages and customs.
• Relaxation Seekers  opt for serene, laid-back vacations to rejuvenate the soul.
• Voluntourists  dedicate parts of their travel to volunteer work , contributing to local communities and causes.

Discovering your preferred style can help tailor your experiences. For instance, visiting a city might not fulfill your travel needs as much as a week-long trek through the Andes if you’re an adventure lover. Understanding where your passions lie is crucial to planning trips that leave you invigorated and inspired.

Tips on Identifying Your Travel Style

Reflect on your previous trips and note which elements left the strongest impressions. Even day trips and weekend getaways hold clues to your travel style. Did you enjoy the lazy days on the beach, or was it the impromptu hike to a hidden, cascading waterfall? Your most memorable experiences provide valuable hints.

Blending Your Experience With Your Travel Style

Once you understand your style, become a specialist in it. Seek out niche experiences that cater to your specific travel preferences. Connect with forums, groups, or travel advisors specializing in your style for insider tips and recommendations.

Document Your Travels

Documenting your travels has an innate value. It preserves your memories and allows you to share your experiences with others. How you document, whether through journaling, photography, video, or social media, can profoundly shape your travel experience.

Starting my travel blog began as a personal endeavor to record my adventures. However, it became a platform for sharing and engaging with a community of fellow travelers. It has been a fulfilling way to document my trips and inspire, offer insights, and learn from others’ experiences.

The Importance of Documenting

Documenting your travels provides a tangible record of your experiences, a way to reflect on challenges you’ve overcome and lessons you’ve learned. It can be a form of gratitude, acknowledging the unique beauty and lessons from different places and people.

Various Ways to Document

There’s no one right way, but many  different ways to document your travels . Keeping a travel journal can be meditative while capturing moments in film or video can lead to artistic expression. Sharing on social media, when done mindfully, can also open the door to connecting with others, both at your destination and back home.

Practical Tips for Effective Documentation

Organization is vital, especially with the myriad of media we can use to document. Develop a system for labeling photos, categorizing entries, or curating your social media posts so that you can easily access and share your memories without feeling overwhelmed. Remember, the purpose here is not to create work but to capture the essence of your travels.

Creating Your Bucket List

The concept of a bucket list is deeply entwined with purposeful travel. It’s a roadmap of experiences you yearn for, dream about, and desire to achieve.

My bucket list is an evolving novel, and I am not afraid of countless revisions and additions. From scaling Machu Picchu to meditating in a remote Buddhist monk retreat, each item on my list holds a story waiting to unfold. It’s a testament to a life lived with intent and eagerness to explore.

Crafting a Meaningful Bucket List

When creating your list , aim to balance what you think you should see and what truly excites you. Don’t just include popular travel hotspots; think about what aspects of them pique your interest and why. Include destinations that challenge you, contribute to your personal growth, and, most importantly, make you feel alive.

The Fun Part: Naming Your List

A  unique bucket list name  can give your list personal flair and serve as a powerful motivator. Whether it’s a clever pun, a meaningful phrase, or a nod to a personal hero, a thoughtfully chosen name can instill a sense of purpose in your travel goals .

Incorporating Purpose Into Your Travels

Once you have your bucket list, the challenge is aligning it with a meaningful purpose. Here’s how to infuse your travel goals with intent.

• Identify Your Why : For each item, ask yourself why it’s on your list. Is it to connect with your roots, to push your boundaries, or to contribute to a cause you care about?
• Set Goals Within Goals : Beyond reaching a destination, set specific goals for your time there. It could be learning about a particular aspect of the local culture, engaging in ecological conservation efforts, or simply forming deep connections with locals.
• Be Open to Change : Your purpose can evolve, and that’s okay. Maybe a place you once wanted to visit for leisure becomes a service opportunity. Remain flexible and open to new interpretations of your travel goals.

I’ve found that infusing my travels with a purpose has led to some of the most enriching and unexpected experiences. What began as a desire to complete my list item of “climb a mountain” became my training, building my stamina, and now living a healthier life as I have kept up with my weekly training.

Making a Difference Through Travel

One of the most rewarding aspects of purposeful travel is the potential to make a positive impact. Here are ways to ensure your footprints are of the inspiring kind.

• Support Local Economies : Choose accommodations, eateries, and excursions that are locally owned and operated. Your tourism dollars are a direct investment in the community’s welfare.
• Respect Cultural Sensitivities : Be mindful of the customs and norms of the places you visit. Understanding and respecting the local culture is critical to making meaningful connections.
• Participate in Meaningful Activities : Seek opportunities to volunteer, participate in community projects, or support local charities. Even a small act can have a ripple effect.
• Leave No Trace : Ensure that your presence doesn’t harm the environment. Respect natural spaces and strive to leave them better than you found them where possible.

Looking for new experiences? How about joining a coastal cleanup in a remote fishing village? It’s not just about local conservation. It’s about connecting with the community, sharing stories, and making a positive impact. Travel has the power to unite and refresh our world.

Incorporating travel with your purpose enriches your journey by fostering mindfulness, personal growth, and meaningful connections. I curated a bucket list to ensure every destination contributed to my development. These experiences taught me that purposeful travel transcends exploration, shaping unforgettable memories and fostering self-discovery.

About the Guest Writer

Kaylee Janell is a travel blogger ticking off 100+ bucket list destinations worldwide. She spent 90 days living in Italy studying architecture and city planning and explored over 50 cities globally. She educates and shows others how to fulfill their dream trips with the thrill of crossing off their bucket list, one checkbox at a time.

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Other Words For Travel: 57 Creative Words That Inspire The Wanderer In You

The crystal clear waters of Antigua, the rich greenery of the Cliffs of Moher , and the vibrant blues in Morocco, our words can truly paint a picture of the world’s most incredible places .

When you’re itching to travel again, check out a few other words for travel used to describe what you’re feeling and write it in your travel journal .

Here are 57 creative travel words that will inspire the wanderer in you.

Wanderlust [won-der-​lust] Noun | German A strong longing for or impulse toward wandering.

Eleutheromania [ell-uth-ero-may-nia] Noun | Greek A mania or frantic zeal for freedom.

Fernweh [feirn-veyh] Noun | German A deep desire to get away to a foreign place . Direct translation: “distance-sickness.”

Cockaigne [ko-keyn] Noun | French An imaginary land of luxury and idleness. This term comes from the French phrase pais de cocaigne , which means “the land of plenty.”

Quaquaversal [kwah-kwuh-VUR-sal] Adjective | Latin Everything is moving or happening in every direction, wanting to do and see all the things at once in a new place.

Dérive [derry-vay] Noun |  French An unplanned journey where a traveler allows themselves to be guided by the landscape. Dérive means “drift,” so even if one drifts, they will end up on the right path.

Sonder [son-der] Verb | Unknown The realization that each person that passes through your life is living a life as complex as your own.

Heimweh [hime-vay] Noun | German A longing for home or a homesickness for foreign lands.

Hygge [hoo-ga] Noun | Danish A quality of coziness and comfortable friendliness that engenders a feeling of contentment or well-being.

Serendipity [ser-en-dip-ity] Noun | English The occurrence and development of events by chance in a happy or beneficial way.

Resfeber [race-fay-ber] Noun | Swedish The restless race of the traveler’s heart before the journey begins when anxiety and anticipation come together. Most often just before buying plane tickets, a mix between excitement and sickness.

Strikhedonia [strick-a-donia] Noun | Greek The joy of being able to say, “to hell with it”.

Musafir [myou-sa-fur] Noun | Urdu A traveler.

Vuslat [voos-lot] Noun | Turkish A reunion after being apart for some time, between oneself and one’s beloved.

Yūgen [you-gen] Noun | Japanese A profound awareness of the Universe that triggers emotional responses too deep and powerful for words.

Dépaysement [dé-pé-i-ze-man] Adjective | French The feeling of not being in one’s own country, like a fish out of water.

Gadabout [ga-du-bowt] Noun | English A person who travels often or to many different places.

Hireath [he-rith] Noun | Welsh A homesickness for a home which you cannot return, maybe one that never existed.

Sturmfrei [sh-turm-fry] Adjective | German The freedom of being alone and having the ability to do what you want.

Ecophobia [eco-phobia] Noun | English A fear or disliking of one’s home, wanting to be somewhere else.

Numinous [noo-muh-nuhs] Adjective | Latin The feeling of being in awe, a combination of both fear and fascination, by what is before you. Also refers to having a strong religious or spiritual quality, but can be used to describe feeling in awe for what is before you.

Schwellenangst [Sch-vell-enn-ong-st] Noun | German Schwelle (threshold) and angst (anxiety), come together to explain the feeling of crossing a threshold to start a new chapter. The feeling before you decide to set out on a new journey, of whether or not you are making the right decision.

Vagary [vay-ga-ree] Verb | Latin A whimsical or roaming journey. In Latin, vagārī means “to roam.”

Trouvaille [troo-vy] Noun | French A chance encounter on a journey, with something wonderful or unexpected.

Saudade [sou-dod] Noun | Portugese The state of nostalgia or longing for someone or someplace far away. Described as “The love that remains” after someone is gone.

Solivagant [soh-LIH-va-ghent] Adjective | Latin Hopeless wanderer. An adventurer who travels or wanders the globe solo. The Latin word solivagus , means lonely or solitary.

Sehnsucht [zane-zoo-kt] Noun | German A wistful longing and yearning in the heart for travels past and future, or a longing for a far-off place, but not one which one can identify at the moment.

Acatalepsy [Akk-at-a-lepsy] Noun | Greek In philosophy, it is incomprehensibility or the impossibility of comprehending or conceiving a thing.

Livsnjutare [livs-new-tara] Noun | Swedish A person who loves life deeply and lives it to the fullest. In Swedish, this word translates to “enjoyer of life.”

Commuovere [como-vary] Verb | Italian The ability to touch or move something to tears.

Yoko meshi [Yo-ko-meh-she] Noun | Japanese The stress of speaking a foreign language . In Japanese, “meshi” means “boiled rice” and “yoko” means “horizontal,” altogether it means “a meal eaten sideways.” “Yoko” also references the fact that Japanese is often written vertically when most languages are written horizontally.

Onism [own-ism] Noun | Danish Refers to the understanding and frustration that one will never be able to see it all, that one can only occupy one space at a time.

Flâneur [flan-air] Noun | French A person who strolls aimlessly, simply wandering to explore a new place and observe the life that is there.

Wayfarer [way-fair-er] Noun | English A traveler. Someone who lets the wind blow them wherever they are meant to go.

Hodophile [Ho-dough-phile] Adjective | Greek  Someone who loves to travel, or “lover of the road.”

Novaturient [no-va-tur-ee-ent-a] Adjective | Latin A desire to change your life.

Coddiwomple [codd-ee-womp-el] Verb | English To travel with purpose to a destination, not concerned about how long the journey takes.

Selcouth [sell-cuth] Adjective | English Finding beauty in the unfamiliar or strange. Experiencing a new culture and place that feels different, but still fascinating and beautiful.

Eudaimoni [u-day-mon-ee-a] Noun | Greek The state of happiness one experiences while traveling.

Nefelibata [Neh-fell-ee-ba-ta] Noun | Portugese “Cloud-walker,” or an unconventional person. One who lives with their head in the clouds.

Vorfreude [for-fr-oy-da] Noun | German The excited feeling before you journey off somewhere new. Joyful, intense anticipation of all the exciting things to come.

Nemophilist [nee-mo-fil-ist] Noun | English A person who loves the forest in all its beauty and solitude.

Querencia [kay-ren-see-ya] Noun | Spanish The place where you feel the most at home.

Komorebi [ko-mo-reh-be] Noun | Japanese The sunlight that filters through the leaves of the trees.

Smultronställe [smul-trons-tell-ah] Noun | Swedish A special place that’s been discovered and returned to for relaxation or solace, “place of wild strawberries.”

Thalassophile [Thal-ass-o-feel] Noun | Greek A lover of the ocean.

Mångata [mon-ga-ta] Noun | Swedish The reflection of the moon on water.

Yu yi [you-yee] Noun | Mandarin The desire to see with fresh eyes and feel things just as intensely as you did when you were younger — before expectations, before memory, before words.

Photophile [fo-tow-feel] Noun | English or Greek A person who loves photography and light.

Waldeinsamkeit [Vall-d-on-zom-kite] Noun | German The feeling of being alone in the woods, in a positive, peaceful, relaxing way.

Meraki [meh-rah-kee] Adjective | Greek Doing something with soul, creativity, and love. Putting a part of yourself into what you’re doing.

Forelsket [fur-ell-skit] Adjective | Danish The euphoria you experience when you are first falling in love with a person or a place.

Peripatetic [perr-a-puh-tet-ik] Adjective | Greek Traveling from place to place, in particular working or based in various places for relatively short periods.

Sprachgefühl [sh-prock-guh-foo-l] Noun | German A person who has the ‘feel’ for a language.

Natsukashii [not-soo-ka-she] Adjective | Japanese A happy recollection of an event or memory in the past, but still missing it. Derived from the verb, natsuku , “to get used to and keep close; to become fond of.” The word used to describe wanting to keep something close, wanting to express fondness for something.

Ukiyo [oh-kee-yo] Adjective | Japanese “The floating world,” is a state of mind emphasizing living in the moment, detached from the difficulties of life.

Wabi-sabi [wah-be-sah-bee] Noun | Japanese In traditional Japanese aesthetics, wabi-sabi is a world view centered on the acceptance of transience and imperfection. Appreciating beauty that is “imperfect, impermanent, and incomplete” in nature.

Now that you’ve seen our list of other travel words that will inspire wanderlust , what did you think? Did we miss any? Leave us a comment below!

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Meaning of travel in English

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travel verb ( MAKE JOURNEY )

• I like to travel but, then again, I'm very fond of my home .
• It's often quicker to travel across country and avoid the major roads altogether .
• Passengers without proper documentation will not be allowed to travel.
• The elderly travel free on public transport .
• We like to travel in the autumn when there are fewer tourists .
• The tragedy is that cultures don't always travel well, and few immigrant groups can sustain their culture over the long term .
• around Robin Hood's barn idiom
• communication
• first class
• overnighter
• peripatetically
• public transport
• super-commuting

You can also find related words, phrases, and synonyms in the topics:

travel verb ( MOVE )

• The objects travel in elliptical orbits .
• In 1947, a pilot flying over the Cascades saw nine metallic flying objects travelling at an estimated 1,200 miles per hour .
• The elevator travelled smoothly upward .
• White light separates out into its component wavelengths when travelling through a prism .
• As the material travels through the winding machine , excess liquid is squeezed out by rollers .
• Lead dust travels easily from hands to mouth and can't be seen .
• body English
• kinetic energy
• repair to somewhere

travel verb ( BREAK RULE )

• goaltending
• granny shot
• half-court press
• reverse dribble
• reverse pivot

travel noun ( ACTIVITY )

• They offer a 10 percent discount on rail travel for students .
• The price includes travel and accommodation but meals are extra .
• His work provided him with the opportunity for a lot of foreign travel.
• The popular myth is that air travel is more dangerous than travel by car or bus .
• Passes are available for one month's unlimited travel within Europe .
• break-journey
• circumnavigation

travel noun ( MOVEMENT OF OBJECT )

• It can be difficult to predict the travel of smoke from smouldering fires .
• The travel of the bullets and blood spatter showed that he was lying on the ground on his side when he was shot .
• This seemed to prove that light has a finite speed of travel.
• Striking the ball when the clubhead is already past the lowest point of its travel gives a slight overspin.
• The actuator then rotates its output shaft to the extremes of its travel.
• bring someone on
• go the distance idiom
• non-competitor
• park the bus idiom
• play big idiom
• step/move up a gear idiom

travel | American Dictionary

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put something off

to decide or arrange to delay an event or activity until a later time or date

Like a bull in a china shop: talking about people who are clumsy

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As biggest-ever railway Wetherspoons opens at London Waterloo – is station catering fit for purpose?

Train talk: much transport catering is dominated by a single company – and it isn’t j d wetherspoon, article bookmarked.

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Long before the glass doors opened, a queue had formed outside a new catering concession at London Waterloo: not another Upper Crust or Burger King, but the biggest J D Wetherspoon at a railway station.

Mick Allen from Dartford was among the “Wetherspoon tickers” eagerly waiting to visit the latest addition to the pub chain’s hundreds of outlets. This group of (mainly male) enthusiasts travel the length and breadth of Britain in a bid to visit every “Spoons”.

“I’m on 708,” he says. “I’ve got 96 more to go, including this one.”

Burger King does not generate such enthusiasm for completism. Unlike the fast-food chain, every J D Wetherspoon is different – reflecting at least something of local history.

The Lion & The Unicorn is not exactly a heritage location; it occupies part of the Eurostar terminal abandoned when cross-Channel trains moved across town to St Pancras. The name derives from a long-demolished pavilion at the South Bank Exhibition for the 1951 Festival of Britain.

Some of the 580 seats in the pub carry the embossed names of the worthies involved in planning the festival, which was intended to lift the nation’s spirits from post-war austerity. Whether customers will appreciate the mid-century vibe, complete with giant black-and-white prints of the festival site, is another matter.

“We try to get into as many transport hubs as we can,” says Barry Brewster, the appropriately named regional manager for J D Wetherspoon. He looks after the chain’s properties at rail stations and airports.

“We’re in quite a few already across London, but this is by far and away the biggest project we’ve done in the last several years.”

A pub in a railway station or an airport is inevitably different from one on a high street: far fewer regulars, far more transient customers and time pressure more intense than the usual call for last orders.

But goodness, catering for people on the move is profitable. The market leader is Select Service Providers (SSP). It was born in 1966 as British Rail Catering and is now a global enterprise worth £1.36bn.

The Office of Rail and Road (ORR) investigated the station catering market this summer and believes up to half of all passenger spending at stations goes to SSP.

To the surprise of no one who has ever bought a coffee and a sandwich, the ORR report found: “The average price premium is in the region of 10 per cent.” This, though, is still less than at airports and motorway service stations.

Based on The Independent ’s initial research at London Waterloo, J D Wetherspoon could provide something of an antidote.

The entry-level pint at The Lion & The Unicorn is Greene King IPA at £3.29 – about half the price at the gigantic Brewdog pub just 50 metres away. A full English breakfast – consumed with gusto by the first wave of customers on opening day – is just £6.71.

A degree in maths is not required to calculate that someone keen to start the day with a pint, egg, bacon, beans and toast can procure the popular morning meal package for a tenner.

In the unlikely event that such a feast does not appeal, customers can drink unlimited tea and coffee for £1.56. You don’t get that at Pret a Manger up on the main concourse.

Waterloo station’s lower-level development, known as The Sidings, has not been a roaring success – partly because it is blocked from the South Bank by the vast and largely derelict eyesore known as Elizabeth House. Window seats were not in demand on the opening morning of The Lion & The Unicorn.

In time, the hideous 1960s office block is due to be demolished, opening up eyelines to the London Eye and Big Ben and creating a more pleasing locale. Nando’s is opening next door, which should increase footfall. In addition, the new pub is very close to the “graffiti tunnel”: Leake Street, the most exciting art space in London, which entices an increasing numbr of tourists.

For now, Barry Brewster is seeking to drum up business from anywhere. He booked a Bavarian oompah band to welcome morning commuters (warning: the entry-level lager is not a tasty German brew, but flavour-free Bud Light at £3.49).

One possible issue: a few parts of the planet may not be fully aware of the ’Spoons ethos.

“Some people will only be here once in a lifetime,” says the Wetherspoon executive. “There were some Canadians in this morning, some Australians. They’re just coming to the UK for once in a lifetime. And we’re just here to try and provide an enjoyable experience – and hopefully a memorable experience.”

Passengers at one of the UK’s three busiest stations, meanwhile, have a fresh budget option. In station catering, as well as transport more widely, competition works for the traveller.

With wider choice and lower prices, Waterloo could become a “destistation”, which people visit because of the range of good-value places to eat, drink and shop.

Mick Allen from Dartford is simply happy to have chalked up another J D Wetherspoon hostelry. “I just like pubs,” he says.

Waterloo ’Spoons: A toast to the new Lion’s den – podcast

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