We often run out of words on what to say. It also happens when we talk about travel lovers or want to impress our nomadic friends. Are you tired of using the same old words? If so, today’s fun post is for you.
Do you know what a person is called who loves to travel? Travel lover. Yes, but we all know that, and besides, that’s two words, not a one word noun.
How about “Hodophile”. If you are saying, “what, a hodophile!” Yes, a hodophile is a person who loves to travel. Now, that’s certainly going to grab your friends’ attention next time you talk to them.
Below are the top 10 simple to pronounce words you should start using to enhance your regular travel vocabulary.
These are nothing like out-of-the-tongue kinda words but refreshing synonyms one should add to their day to day vocabulary.
Globetrotter
Do you know anyone who loves to hop between countries? Or anyone who is a hardcore traveler? Anyone who leaves their tiny footprints across the various continents? Globetrotter is what you call them, and Globetrotting is their religion.
Itinerant
Few of us hate staying in one place. We are people of many lands who live to travel. Itinerant is an apt word for travel lovers who have got a gypsy soul.
Read Next: 201 Greatest Travel Quotes That Will Leave You Speechless
Roadie
Many times we say, let’s hit the road! That is exactly what roadies do, but they accompany bands or musicians and travel in a group. In recent time though, the term has become more generalized and biking groups can be also called Roadies.
Rover
Wandering around might get old after a few days, why not use roving around for a change? Become a Rover aka Travel Lover. 🙂
Related: The Ultimate Travel Bucket List and 101 Couple Goals
Wayfarer
“Catch flights, not feelings” is what the quote says, but what about after you get off the plane? Hop on a car, and move to your hotel, then what?
You need to walk around and discover the destination. All travel lovers are wayfarers in a way.
www.artoftravel.store/
Vagabond
Nothing is permanent. And this world is massive to just live in a corner. People who make any place their home are in reality the Vagabonds – the daring nomads, adventurers, and travel lovers.
Also, you might have heard this quote from Saint Augustine of Hippo: “The World is a book and those who do not travel read only one page.”
Solivagant
Traveling alone is empowering. And when you are brave enough to take on the roads yourself you become a Solivagant. Wandering alone is an unadulterated bliss which travel lovers should try once.
Related: Women Solo Travelers on Rise and Best Destinations for Traveling Solo
Travel Buff
Wisdom comes from experience and those who are travelers amass knowledge through traveling. That is what makes them the travel-buffs.
Hodophile
You don’t need an explanation for this word. It is as perfect as it comes. Hodophile – the very word for travel lovers. A Hodophile is “One who loves to travel.”
Grey Nomad
In Australia, a retired old man traveling in a motorhome or caravan is named as Grey Nomad. But why just use it in the context of an old man?
Nowadays the travel lovers who live a nomadic life are often called “Grey Nomads.” (They may or may not have grey hairs though, Lol!)
www.artoftravel.store/
What are some other words for travel lovers? Comment below and we’ll add to this list. We hope this post cheered you and brought you value. If yes, please share it with your globetrotting friends and tell them they are too young to be a grey nomad. (wink)
Next up: The Ultimate Travel Bucket List and Couple Goals
November 2, 2017 1:26 pm
Get inspiration from around the world with these catchy and creative travel words in other languages >> A list of the best words for travel lovers. ❤️
Travel. It can leave you speechless and then turn you into a storyteller. The experience has a tendency to make us feel a plethora of emotions and when you’re reliving those times there may not be an accurate word to describe the travel experience, the adventure, the magic, the moments, or the way you felt.
This loss of words is more common than you may think. Especially since the English language is limited when it comes to words related to travel or words to describe a person who loves to travel.
Sure, you could use the popular travel word wanderlust, but it is also often way overused (have you noticed every new travel influencer and their dog jumping on the wanderlust-wagon?).
Rather use these wanderlust synonyms below instead.
Wanderlust (n.)
Origin: German
Definition: A strong, innate, impulse or desire to travel the world
How do you explain your deep-seated need to get away or the desire to always be on the move and live a nomad existence? Is there a travel-related word to describe the mix of excitement and anxiety one feels on starting a new journey?
Are there other creative words for travellers to articulate the curiosity to experience other cultures, other exotic foods, other landscapes, and other ways of life around the world?
How can you express the profound feeling of awe you feel on the awareness of the vastness and beauty of the universe when observing the stars? Or the thrill of discovering a hidden waterfall during a hike up a mountain to catch the last sunset?
Fortunately, there are foreign words from other cultures and different languages to voice these special moments. These beautiful travel words, often with no English equivalent, are meant to educate and inspire you. And perhaps even assist with your next clever travel caption for the gram or pinterest.
>> Must Read:
- More foreign language guides:
How to say Hello, Thank You, Goodbye, and Love in different languages around the world - Fun list: Best travel questions or these road trip questions and car ride trivia
- The top 50 travel songs to add to your playlist
- Why is travel important? Find 10 key benefits of travelling the world
- Get inspired: Short quotes about traveling and funny travel quotes
What do you call someone who loves travel?
Hodophile — one who loves to travel
Studies have shown that people who spend their money on experiences rather than material stuff, such as travel, tend to be more open minded, creative, carefree, and happier in their life.
*searches for my next flight out.
Travel the Word: Unique + Beautiful Travel Words from Other languages of the World
A handful of my favourite words associated with travel.
Save a couple of your own favorites from this list, bookmark this page, and add them to your vocabulary before your next adventure!
Describe your explorations with these foreign words about travel taken from different languages around the world.
Ready. Let’s go….
v. = verb
n. = noun
adj. = adjective
In alphabetical order….
Absquatulate (v.)
to leave without saying goodbye.
Origin: North America
My close friends know that I absquatulate. Like, a lot.
So no surprise there, when the urge to pack your things and just disappear shows up… with no time to say goodbye. Continue reading to find more creative words for travelers.
Coddiwomple (v.)
To travel purposefully towards a strange location.
Origin: English slang
Some days you wander with no plan at all, seeing where the day will take you. And other days, you coddiwomple.
I do like the sound of this unusual word related to travel.
Cosmopolitan (v./adj.)
A citizen of the world or at home all over the world.
Origin: English
This definition varies, depending on whether you use the word as a noun or an adjective. Even though, the origins of these creative travel words are from English, it can be traced back to Pythagoras, who first used the Greek word kosmos as a way to describe the order of the universe.
Travellers naturally feel at home in the world and the saying, “home is where the heart is” applies perfectly.
Dérive (n.)
To drift unplanned on a spontaneous journey, leaving everyday life behind and guided by the scenery, architecture, and landscapes.
Origin: French
One of my favourite words to describe my travel experience. This untranslatable travel term perfectly describes spontaneous exploration.
There is no strict plan, instead going with the flow away from the beaten beaten path and towards unplanned discoveries such as a beautiful sunset.
Dromomania (n.)
An uncontrollable and irrational impulse or psychological urge to wander or travel without purpose.
Origin: Greek
Dromomania, also referred to as travelling fugue or vagabond neurosis, is seen as an abnormal and uncontrollable psychological impulse to wander. It comes from a combination of the Greek words dromos and mania to diagnose those with this condition to spontaneously abandon their everyday lives to travel long distances, even taking up different identities and occupations.
This irrational desire stems from a strong emotional and physical need to constantly be travelling and having new experiences. It also often involves sacrificing security, relationships, and careers in the hunt for these experiences. Fantasies about exploring occupy their thoughts and dreams.
I guess, I have a serious undiagnosed case of the dromomania.
Ecophobia (n.)
A fear or distaste of home.
Origin: Greek
Now, this unusual word for travel can be used in the literal sense. Or, as I prefer, to describe when you can’t stop thinking about a different place. A place, other than where you live. Say, an exotic tropical island?
Eleutheromania (n.)
The intense and insatiable desire for freedom.
Origin: Greek
When asked why I pursue travel so much, my response often involves an insatiable yearning for freedom, amongst the many other reasons for exploring the globe.
Yes, I’ve since learned that freedom comes from within as much (or even more) than your external circumstances. However, the very act of travelling does leave me feeling free and eleutheromania perfectly describes the desire for this feeling.
For sure, one of my favourite words associated with travel holidays and tourism.
Eudaimonia (v.)
A state of feeling happy and content whilst travelling.
Origin: Greek
This is one of my favourite words associated with travel because it such an apt description of the journey.
The joy of wandering, the excitement of new discoveries, the contented state of living the dream…. and everything feels perfectly alright. Even when things go wrong.
Exulansis (n.)
When you give up trying to talk about an experience because none are able to relate to it.
Origin: Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows
How many times have you given up trying to explain yourself or something you’ve done because those around you are just not on the same wavelength as you and are unable to relate or even understand.
Yeah, I know this feeling all too well and exulansis is one of the most unique travel words I’ve come across to articulate this.
Fernweh (n.)
Distance sickness. A yearning, a longing, an ache to be elsewhere. To be in a far away place.
Origin: German
Not as popular or overused as wanderlust, this catchy travel word has gained much traction over the past few years. This German word is often described as feeling homesick for a far away place. A place you’ve never been to before.
This urge to travel is strong and fernweh, a synonym for wanderlust, describes the aching desire to be far away from home.
Flâneur (n.)
Someone who strolls aimlessly and enjoyably, observing life and their surroundings.
Origin: French
One of the best words describing travel lovers, flâneur derives from the French flâner, meaning to stroll or saunter.
My favourite kind of days when travelling do not have a plan nor involve a requirement to be in a particular place. It is simply wandering around aimlessly at a comfortable pace, observing the local life and appreciating the day as it unfolds.
Yes, I am a big time flâneur.
Forelsket (adj.)
The overwhelming euphoric-feeling that takes place at the early stages of falling in love.
Origin: Norwegian
Gadabout (n.)
A habitual pleasure-seeker who moves about restlessly or aimlessly.
Origin: Old Norse
It is used to refer to a person who gads or walks idly about. A person who’s constantly on the move, restlessly seeking amusement along the way.
Gallivant (v.)
to roam without a plan… to wander about, seeking pleasure or diversion.
Origin: German
No list of creative travel words is complete without including gallivant. This word is used to describe the action of going to many different places as a form of enjoyment while completely forgetting or disregarding other things you should be doing. As an example, using travel as a form of escape, something that many a lover of travel is guilty of.
Hiraeth (n.)
A homesickness for a place which you can’t return to. A longing for what may no longer exist.
Origin: Welsh
This Welsh term describes not just a longing for home, but a nostalgic desire to reconnect with a place or time period you can’t return to or that may not exist anymore.
Hodophile (adj.)
A lover of roads. A love of travel.
Origin: Greek
A unique word to describe a person who loves to travel.
I mean, what’s there not to love about exploring the world. The unusual sights, the new tastes, the beautiful landscapes and the people you meet along the way.
Raise your hand if, like me, you’re the biggest hodophile? *guilty as charged
Holoholo (n.)
to ride or walk around for pleasure.
Origin: Hawaiian
This Hawaiian word is the perfect description of something I do a lot when exploring a new country.
Hozhoni (n.)
a feeling of being filled with beauty and balance.
Origin: Navajo
Hygge (n.)
The feeling of comfort, relaxation, and coziness in certain settings around certain people, particularly friends.
Origin: Danish
This unusual word is not just reserved for travel and holiday, but it is perfectly suited to describe those moments when you’re enjoying a meal, drinks, and those simple pleasures with friends around the world.
The Dutch words gezellig or gezelligheid is similar to hygge, describing that feeling of ease and coziness when you’re around friends you feel comfortable with.
Kismet (n.)
Destiny, sometimes referred to as fate, is a predetermined course of events. It may be conceived as a predetermined future, whether in general or of an individual.
Origin: Arabic
This beautiful Arabic-derived word refers to one’s destiny and something that one believes was meant to be.
Livsnjutare (n.)
A person who truly enjoys life and lives it to the extreme.
Origin: Swedish
This unique trip word, of Swedish origin, is often used to describe someone who enjoys life and lives it to the full, making the most of each moment. When I am wandering around the world, in places like Mexico, it certainly feels like living to the extreme.
Merak (n.)
The feeling of enjoyment and oneness with the Universe that comes from the simplest of pleasures.
Origin: Serbian
Meraki (n.)
Doing something with creativity, with love, with soul — when you put “something of yourself” into what you’re doing.
Origin: Greek
A beautiful word, that also happens to be one of my favourites. Meraki, derived from Greek, describes the action and the feelings that results when one does something with complete focus and love. Being so caught up with what you’re doing as if your entire being and soul is part of the whole experience. Moments of meraki flood my experience often when painting or when exploring a beautiful landscape.
Monachopsis (n.)
The subtle but persistent feeling of being out of place.
Origin: Greek
It comes from the combination of words monos and opsis, where ‘monos’ means solitary or unique and ‘opsis’ refers to like or appearance.
Nefelibata (n.)
One who lives in the clouds of their own imagination and does not obey convention.
Origin: Portuguese
Ok, this is me. Just a beautiful meaning word to describe a person who loves to travel. The direct translation is “cloud-walker,” referring to those, like myself, who live in their own world/imagination. An unconventional person that does not blindly follow the rules of society. More about me here.
Novaturient (adj.)
A desire to alter your life. The feeling that pushes you to travel.
Origin: Latin
This is the feeling that pushed me to quit my job and travel the world. You know, when you are curious to discover what more is out there.
Numinous (adj.)
The powerful, personal feeling of being overwhelmed and inspired.
Origin: Latin
Numinous has its origins in Latin, meaning to be both fearful, awed, and inspired by what you see and experience before you. Exploring tends to bring up all the human emotions, often simultaneously, and these catchy travel words are an apt description of the experience.
Like the time I went trekking among some of the highest mountains in the world in Nepal.
Onism (n.)
The awareness of how little of the world you will experience.
Origin: The Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows
Once you start seeing the world, you realise just how much more there is to see out there.
And you actually reach a point, somewhere along the journey, where you come to the realisation that no matter how extensive your travels are, you will only ever experience a little bit. This realisation is referred to as onism.
This creative word associated with travel is not from a foreign language, but actually originates from a book by John Koenig.
Peregrinate (v.)
Travel or wander from place to place.
Origin: Latin
From the Latin peregrinari, meaning “to travel abroad,” this type of inspirational travel words refers to a long journey in which you travel to various different places, especially on foot.
Peripatetic (adj.)
A person who travels from place to place.
Origin: Greek
Originating from the Greek word peripatein, “to walk up and down,” this adjective is used to describe backpackers who are constantly moving from place to place, living a nomadic existence.
Photophile (n.)
A person who loves photography and light.
Origin: English
This pretty word is derived from the biological term of the same name for an organism that loves or thrives in light. If you carry a camera with you wherever you go and post to photo sharing websites (like instagram) all day, you’re a photophile.
Quaquaversal (adj.)
Directed outwards in all directions from a common centre
Origin: Latin
A good word for travel and the desire to experience everything all at the same time.
Querencia (n.)
The place where you are your most authentic self. Where one’s strength is drawn from; where one feels at home.
Origin: Spanish
The term comes from the Spanish verb “querer,” which means “to desire.” Many long term travellers feel at home in the world and their most authentic self when connecting with this place. One of the best words for travel lovers.
Resfeber (n.)
the restless race of a traveler’s heart before the journey begins, when anxiety and anticipation are tangled together.
Origin: Swedish
Another catchy word related to travel, resfeber is universally used to describe the mixed emotions one feels just before the journey begins. These emotions include both excitement as well as anxiety and nervousness when starring in the face of the unknown. Like that time I had decided to climb Kilimanjaro, the highest mountain in Africa.
Rückkehrunruhe (n.)
The feeling of returning home after a trip only to find it fading rapidly from your awareness.
Origin: The Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows
Saudade (n.)
a deep emotional state of nostalgic or melancholic longing for something or someone far away that one cares for and loves.
Origin: Portuguese
This is the creative word to use when you’re fondly thinking back to a beautiful moment during your travels and longing to return to that experience.
Schwellenangst (n.)
a fear of, or aversion to, crossing a threshold or entering a place to begin a new chapter.
Origin: German
That anxious and fearful feeling you get when you’re about to begin a new chapter in your life, like a new travel adventure. That’s schwellenangst.
Sehnsucht (n.)
a wistful longing and yearning of the heart for travels that have been and travels to come.
Origin: German
Selcouth (adj.)
Strange and uncommon. Unfamiliar, rare, and yet marvellous.
Origin: Old English
This is one of my favourite travel words on this list. Not only because of its unusual sound, but also because it is an appropriate way of describing the way you see things when you travel. Everything is unfamiliar and strange, yet we find it inviting and marvellous anyway, much like my time in these South American countries.
Smultronställe (n.)
A special place discovered for solace and relaxation.
Origin: Swedish
This Swedish word directly translates to “place of wild strawberries,” used to describe a location or place in this world where you feel most at home. A place that serves as a refuge from any stress and/or sadness. This place, once discovered, is often returned to for comfort and consolation.
Sojourn (n.)
To stay as a temporary resident. A short period when a person stays in a particular place.
Solivagant (adj.)
A lone wanderer. A solo traveller. A person who revels in the act of wandering alone.
Origin: Latin
This popular word, to describe a person who loves to travel alone, as opposed to vacationing with family or friends. It originates from the Latin sōlivagāns, with sōlus meaning “alone” and vagāns meaning “wander.”
Sonder (n.)
The realisation that everyone you pass is living a life just as complex as yours
Origin: Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows
Have you ever had that realisation that a random stranger is living a life that is just as complex and vivid and important as your own. This is sonder. Just a beautiful word and one of the best for travel lovers.
Strikhedonia (n.)
The joy of being able to say “to hell with it.”
Sturmfrei (adj.)
The freedom of being alone. The ability to do what you want.
Origin: German
This German word that directly translates to “storm-free.” However, its real meaning has nothing to do with the weather nor a description about how we feel. It is more a description of the situation itself, such as having the house to one’s self or not having to wait or compromise on what you want to do as a solo traveller.
Thalassophile (n.)
a lover of the sea.
Origin: Greek
A coconut, a tropical island, a hammock, (maybe some cute animals like those found on Flamingo Beach Aruba), and a bungalow that leads directly onto the beach and into the sea.
Is there anything more that you need, fellow thalassophile?
Tîeow (v.)
To wander or roam around in a carefree way
Origin: Thai
Traipse (n.)
To go on foot. A tedious or tiring journey on foot
Origin: unknown
Travitude (n.)
when you start to feel grumpy cause you to miss traveling.
Anyone been feeling this way recently? I sure have.
Tripophobia (n.)
The fear of not having any travel trips currently booked.
When the world and travel shut down in 2020, thipophobia was the main emotion running through my veins. What kind of life is it where there are no adventures to look forward to and you’re forced to remain in the same location for the foreseeable future. You tell me?
Trouvaille (n.)
Something lovely discovered by chance. A chance encounter with something wonderful.
Origin: French
When travelling, especially without much of a plan and with an open heart, it is not uncommon to discover something beautiful purely by chance. These discoveries make for some of the most memorable experiences.
This interesting travel word is often used by French travellers to describe a chance encounter. Its time the rest of us use this word too the next time we unexpectedly stumble upon an inspiring landscape, a cute cafe, or a welcoming local.
Vacilando (v.)
The act of wandering when the experience of travel is more important than reaching the a destination.
Origin: Spanish
The word, from Spanish, aims to describe someone who travels for travel sake, and not to reach a particular goal or destination. For us, the journey is more important than the destination or vacation spot.
While others despise the act of getting to a place, I savour it and enjoy the long plane, boat, or bus rides and the happenings along the way, especially if the journey occurs in a beautiful setting like the Spanish islands.
One of the most inspiring travel words that should be a part of every globetrotters vocabulary.
Vagary (v.)
A whimsical or wandering journey.
Origin: Latin
With its origins in 16th-century Latin, Vagārī translates as, “to roam.” This unique travel word to describe the travel experience of an unpredictable or impulsive desire or action for a wandering journey.
Vorfreude (n.)
The joyful anticipation when looking forward to something or while imagining future pleasures.
Waldeinsamkeit (n.)
The feeling of solitude, being alone in the woods and connected to nature.
Origin: German
Wayfarer (n.)
Someone who travels, especially on foot.
Origin: English
The travel term may seem modern, but it goes back all the way to the mid-1400s as a combination of way defined as “a path or course leading from one place to another,” and fare, meaning “to go, travel.”
Xenophilia (n.)
An attraction to foreign peoples, foreign cultures, and/or customs.
Origin: Greek
This attraction, appreciation, and affinity for foreign people, their cultures and customs is what draws many to explore the world. These unique travel words, as a synonym for wanderlust, comes from the Greek “xenos,” meaning “unknown, stranger, foreign” and “philia,” defined as “attraction or love.”
Yoko meshi (n.)
The stress of speaking a foreign language.
Origin: Japanese
Another word related to travel that literally translates to, “a meal eaten sideways.” It is used to explain the difficulty and stress when trying to speak a language that is not your native language, whether at home or when abroad. Like, that time I found myself in St Petersburg, struggling to speak Russian to get around the city.
Yu yi (n.)
The desire to feel things just as intensely as you did when you were younger.
Origin: Chinese
As you grow older, life seems to be less exciting. Travelling overseas and exploring new places is one way of mitigating this. Yu Yi is an inspirational Chinese word that describes the yearning to feel things the way you did while growing up, before expectations, before memory, before words.
Yūgen (n.)
a profound, mysterious awareness of the vastness and beauty of the universe… and the sad beauty of human suffering.
Origin: Japanese
This untranslatable travel word is used for those moments that lead to a greater awareness and trigger a deep emotional response within.
Over to YOU…
Did you enjoy traveling the word? How many of these these creative travel words have you heard before? Which one(s) your favorite and which of these unique words associated with travel do you resonate with most?
What phrases describe the travel experience and make for the best words for travel lovers in your language?
Let me know in the comments below or start a conversation with me on social media.
Your fellow hodophile,
Rai
We love travelling and we love words, so imagine our surprise when we came across a massive treasure trove of travel words that describe how we feel before, during and after we travel better than anything we’ve ever seen, ever. In the history of everything.
These literary gems make ‘wanderlust’ look like an overrated show pony. Which it is. Travel brochures of the future will be littered with the likes of resfeber, eudaimonia and fernweh. At least, they will if we have anything to do with it.
TAKE IT AWAY, WORDS!
1. Trouvaille (n.)
Origin: French
Something lovely discovered by chance, like stumbling on a waterfall in Costa Rica.
2. Dérive (n.)
Origin: Latin/French
Lit. “drift”; a spontaneous journey where the traveller leaves their life behind for a time to let the spirit of the landscape and architecture attract and move them.
Dériving along the Quarry Trail. Photo by Stephen Parry.
DÉRIVE YOUR WAY AROUND SOUTH AMERICA ON A SMALL GROUP ADVENTURE NOW
3. Numinous (adj.)
Origin: Latin
Describing an experience that makes you fearful yet fascinated, awed yet attracted; the powerful, personal feeling of being overwhelmed and inspired. For example, you may have a numinous experience at Yosemite National Park, gazing up in wonder at El Capitan, or at a towering black bear.
4. Cockaigne (n.)
Origin: French, medieval trope
An imaginary land of luxury and idleness. Think House Tyrell of Highgarden, minus the poisoning.
5. Schwellenangst (n.)
Origin: German
Fear of embarking on something new; fear of crossing a threshold. But you know what? You should totally just go with it, and cross that threshold.
Getting all Strikhedonia in Jordan. Photo by tegan & nathan.
6. Strikhedonia (n.)
Origin: Greek
The pleasure of being able to say “to hell with it”. Try it now. Head to our North America page and shriek ‘Strikhedonia’ immediately before booking a trip.
7. Resfeber (n.)
Origin: Swedish
The restless race of the traveller’s heart before the journey begins when anxiety and anticipation are tangled together; a ‘travel fever’ that can manifest as an illness. The only cure is another grand adventure.
8. Vagary (n.)
Origin: Latin
An unpredictable instance, a wandering journey; a whimsical, wild or unusual idea, desire, or action.
ESCAPE THE VAGARIES OF LIFE ON, SAY, A SMALL GROUP ADVENTURE IN AFRICA
Embracing eudaimonia in Japan. Photo by Stephen Parry.
9. Eudaimonia (n.)
Origin: Greek
Lit. “human flourishing”; a contented state of being happy, healthy and prosperous. For example, you are pretty much guaranteed to experience eudaimonia as you watch the sun rise above the ocean in Playa del Carmen.
10. Quaquaversal (adj.)
Origin: Latin
Moving or happening in every direction instantaneously. It’s a little like when you think your passport’s in your sock drawer but it’s not and your flight’s leaving in three hours.
11. Novaturient (adj.)
Origin: Latin
Desiring or seeking powerful change in one’s life, behaviour, or situation.
Happily quaquaversal in Guatemala. Photo by Nathan Landers.
12. Sehnsucht (n.)
Origin: German
“The inconsolable longing in the human heart for we know now what”; a yearning for a far, familiar, non-earthly land one can identify as one’s home.
13. Ecophobia (n.)
Origin: English
A fear or dislike of one’s home.
14. Eleutheromania (n.)
Origin: Greek
An intense and irresistible desire for freedom. Pretty much describes every picture of the Greek Islands we’ve ever seen.
Livsnjutare in Italy. Photo by The Common Wanderer
15. Livsnjutare (n.)
Origin: Swedish
One who loves life deeply and lives it to the extreme.
16. Solivagant (adj.)
Origin: Latin
Wandering alone. Although we think it’s better when you’re solivagant with a small group of other solivagant types.
17. Saudade (n.)
Origin: Portuguese
A nostalgic longing to be near again to something or someone that is distant or that has been loved and then lost; “the love that remains”. For example, I have a nostalgic longing for Turkish Delight right now.
Having eunoia in Vietnam. Photo by Damien Raggatt.
18. Eunoia (n.)
Origin: Greek
Beautiful thinking; a good mind. My love of Turkish Delight proves I have eunoia (or does it?).
19. Sturmfrei (adj.)
Origin: Germany
Lit. “stormfree”; the freedom of not being watched by a parent or superior; being alone at a place and having the ability to do what you want. Like eating 18 waffles in a day in Belgium.
20. Yoko meshi (n.)
Origin: Japan
The peculiar stress of speaking a foreign language (literally means ‘a meal eaten sideways’). If you’ve ever tried to order ramen in one of Tokyo’s laneway bars, you’ll know exactly what this means.
Selcouth outfits in the Sacred Valley. Photo by Stephen Parry.
21. Selcouth (adj.)
Origin: English
Unfamiliar, rare, strange, and yet marvellous, like adding cheese to your coffee in Colombia.
22. Fernweh (n.)
Origin: German
An ache for distance places; the craving for travel; the opposite of homesickness. Also one of Instagram’s most popular hashtags.
23. Yūgen (n.)
Origin: Japan
An awareness of the universe that triggers emotional responses too deep and mysterious for words.
It’s hard not to feel yūgen in a place like this. Photo by Damien Raggatt.
24. Commuovere (v.)
Origin: Italy
Only in Italy would you find such a sensual word meaning to stir, to touch, to move to tears. Possibly while eating a giant slice of thin-crust pizza.
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25. Peregrinate (v.)
Origin: Latin
To wander from place to place. AKA travel. It’s the very definition. Think of a falcon and BE THE FALCON by embracing its love of flying immediately.
26. Nemophilist (n.)
Origin: English
One who is fond of forests; a haunter of the woods. Not like a spooky ghost; more like a guy with a top-knot who enjoys spending his weekends writing poetry under an old oak tree and drinking black coffee from a vintage thermos.
Peripatetic over a rock. photo by Phoebe Escott-Kenny.
27. Peripatetic (n.)
Origin: Greek
A person who spends his or her time wandering. There’s nothing pathetic about being peripatetic – we embrace the wanderers wholeheartedly.
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28. Hireath (n.)
Origin: Welsh
A homesickness for a home that you can’t return to, a home that perhaps never was. Which is kind of a downer, but a good excuse to keep travelling.
29. Gadabout (n.)
Origin: English
A person who travels often, and for pleasure. Something we should all aspire to, right? Be professional gadabouters? Update your LinkedIn profiles now, gang.
Now you’ve got the lingo, USE IT! Impress your friends with your newfound vocabulary on a small group adventure with Intrepid.
Updated: April 30, 2021
Originally Published: Jan. 8, 2021
©Marco Bottigelli/Getty Images
Are you dying to perambulate? Dreaming of the day when you can coddiwomple around? Wondering what the heck those things even mean? If the latter rings true, well, we’ve got some travel words you need to add to your vocab ASAP. Because, let’s be honest, being a lover of travel is almost a language unto itself already. If you’ve got roam in your bones and run across someone else in the world who does too, you just sort of get each other. And so hearing words that capture the inherent magic of being a traveler is bound to stir something inside of you. Or, at the very least, stir you into planning your next trip.
As an added bonus, the following lexicon can serve a few other excellent purposes for the wandering soul — like making for a great tattoo, or helping you beast all of your friends in Scrabble. So, keep reading, but be forewarned… you’re going to want to pack your bags and book a flight by the time you’re finished.
Other Words for Travel
- Pilgrimage (n.): A journey; the course of life on earth.
- Trek (n.): A trip or movement, especially when involving difficulties or complex organization; an arduous journey.
- Voyage (n.): An act or instance of traveling; a course or period of traveling by other than land routes.
- Gallivant (v.): To travel, roam, or move about for pleasure.
- Perambulate (v.): To travel over or through, especially on foot.
- Expedition (n.): A journey or excursion undertaken for a specific purpose.
- Excursion (n.): A usually brief pleasure trip.
- Odyssey (n.): A long wandering or voyage usually marked by many changes of fortune.
- Walkabout (n.): A short period of wandering bush life engaged in by an Australian aborigine as an occasional interruption of regular work — often used in the phrase go walkabout; something (such as a journey) similar to a walkabout.
- Migrate (v.): To move from one country, place, or locality to another.
- Globe-trotting (adj.): Traveling widely.
- Itinerant (adj.): Traveling from place to place.
- Sojourn (v.): To stay as a temporary resident.
- Traverse (v.): To go or travel across or over; to move or pass along or through.
- Circumnavigate (v.): To go completely around, especially by water.
- Peregrinate (v.): To travel, especially on foot; to walk or travel over.
- Peripatetic (n.): Movement or journeys hither and thither.
- Coddiwomple (v.): To travel in a purposeful manner towards a vague destination.
- Dérive (n.): A spontaneous and unplanned journey where the traveler is guided by the landscape and architecture.
- Hitoritabi (n.): Traveling alone; solitary journey.
Words for Travelers
- Nemophilist (n.): One who is fond of forests or forest scenery; a haunter of the woods.
- Gadabout (n.): A person who flits about in social activity.
- Flâneur (n.): A person who strolls the city in order to experience it; deliberately aimless.
- Nefelibata (n.): One who lives in the clouds of their own imagination or dreams, or one who does not obey conventions of society, literature, or art; “cloud walker.”
- Hodophile (n.): One who loves to travel; a traveler with a special affinity for roads.
- Wayfarer (n.): A traveler, especially on foot.
- Livsnjutare (n.): One who loves life deeply and lives it to the extreme.
- Thalassophile (n.): A lover of the sea; someone who loves the sea, ocean.
- Musafir (n.): “Traveler” in Arabic, Persian, Hindu, and Urdu.
- Nomad (n.): An individual who roams about.
- Solivagent (adj.): Someone who wanders or travels the world alone; a solitary adventurer.
- Luftmensch (n.): An impractical dreamer, literally an air person; someone with their head in the clouds.
Creative Travel Words
- Sturmfrei (adj.): The freedom of being alone and being able to do what your heart desires.
- Resfeber (n.): The restless race of a traveler’s heart before a journey begins; a ‘travel fever’ of anxiety and anticipation.
- Hireath (n.): 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.
- Sonder (v.): The full definition, taken from The Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows, is: “[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.”
- Fernweh (n.): An ache for a distant place; missing places you’ve never been before.
- Sehnsucht (n.): A craving for adventure; an intense yearning for something far-off and indefinable.
- Numinous (adj.): A powerful feeling of both fear and fascination, of being in awe and overwhelmed by what is before you.
- Vagary (v.): An unpredictable instance; a wandering journey; a whimsical, wild, or unusual idea, desire, or action.
- Saudade (n.): A nostalgic longing to be near again to something, someone, or some place that is distant, or which has been loved and then lost.
- Trouvaille (n.): Something lovely discovered by chance; a windfall.
- Yoko meshi (n.): The peculiar stress induced by speaking a foreign language.
- Selcouth (adj.): Unfamiliar, rare, strange, and yet marvelous.
- Yugen (n.): A profound, mysterious sense of the beauty of the universe that triggers a deep emotional response.
- Novaturient (adj.): A desire to seek powerful change in one’s life; the feeling that pushes you to travel.
- Travitude (n.): When you start to feel grumpy and sassy because you miss traveling.
- Eudaimonia (n.): The condition of human flourishing or of living well.
- Ukiyo (n.): Living in the moment, detached from the bothers of life; “the floating world.”
- Strikehedonia (n.): The joy of being able to say “to hell with it.”
- Solivagant (n.): To wander alone. Someone who is a solo adventurer who travels the world. This word comes from the Latin word solivagus, which means lonely or solitary.
- Eleutheromania (n.): A great or incredible desire for freedom. This is a person who has an intense longing for liberty and independence.
- Cockaigne (n.): A place of luxury or idleness. This word comes from the French word cocaigne, which means “the land of plenty.”
- Ecophobia (n.): An abnormal fear of home surroundings.
- Morii (n.): The desire to capture a fleeting moment.
- Exulansis (n.): This is what you feel when you stop trying to explain or talk about an experience because the surrounding people cannot relate to it.
- Rückkehrunruhe (n.): The feeling of returning home after a trip and finding that you keep forgetting you’ve been away. The person has to constantly remind themselves that the excursion even happened.
- Absquatulate (n.): To flee or leave abruptly without saying goodbye.
- Onism (n.): The awareness of how little of the world you’ll experience. The frustration of being stuck in just one body that inhabits only one place at a time.
- Hygge (n.): The cozy feeling of relaxing with friends while having a meal or drinks. A quality of coziness and comfortable conviviality that engenders a sense of contentment or well-being.
This article was originally published on Jan. 8, 2021
Table of Contents
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- Travel Lover
- A Gift for a Travel Lover
- #1. Scratch Map
- #2. Resistance Exercise Bands
- #3. Cube Packing
- #4. Emergen Vitamin C Supplements
- #5. Luggage Scale
- Best Gift for a Travel Lover
- #1. Pacsafe Venturesafe Anti-Theft Travel Backpack
- #2. The Bestargot Titanium French Press for Camping
- #3. ALPS Mountaineering Vertex Air Bed
- #4. Madison Sneaker by Dr. Scholls
- Words for Travel Lovers
- #1. Globetrotter
- #2. Itinerant
- #3. Roadie
- #4. Rover
- #5. Wayfarer
- #6. Vagabond
- #7. Solivagant
- Quotes for Travel Lover
- What Do You Call a Travel Addict?
- What Is a Travelling Person Called?
- Who Is a Wanderlust Person?
- Who is a Travel Buddy?
- What Is Wanderlust vs. Sunlust?
- References
- Related Articles
We frequently run out of words to say or gift ideas to give. That also happens when we discuss travel lovers or wish to impress our nomadic pals. Are you bored of repeating yourself? If so, today’s blog post is for you. Do you know what the name of someone who enjoys traveling is? Travel lover. Yes, but we all know that, and besides, that’s two words, not a one-word noun. So read on to learn about travel lover, a gift for a travel lover, the best gift, words, and quotes for travel lovers.
A “travel lover” is someone who is daring or who enjoys traveling a lot, such as an explorer, a wanderlust, or an adventurer. They are constantly on the lookout for new experiences and civilizations, and they never tire of learning about the world around them. They have a need for knowledge about new places and people that cannot be satisfied by living in one area for an extended period of time. A travel lover lives life to the fullest, whether it’s seeing ancient sites or consuming foreign cuisine.
In today’s tech-obsessed society, social media may be the ideal platform for travel lovers throughout the world to display the world’s beauty, but travel is about so much more than grabbing that perfect Instagram photo. Travel should be purposeful. It should thrill and inspire you, refresh and ground you, educate and challenge you, and most importantly, humble you.
To a travel lover, travel provides the most memorable stories, the most treasured memories, and innumerable irreplaceable lessons that you can decide to pass on to others. It teaches us about ourselves and each other, broadens our perspectives, and forces us to refocus on what truly matters, much like a reset button
A Gift for a Travel Lover
Are you searching for a gift for a travel lover in your life? Finding a vacation present for a birthday, Christmas, or other occasion is difficult! You don’t have to spend a fortune to locate unique gifts for a travel lover. There are several entertaining and useful gifts for that important travel lover in your life that can be found for less than $25. Here are some inexpensive gifts for the traveler in your life that will bring back memories and make them happy.
#1. Scratch Map
Scratch maps make an excellent gift for a travel lover. They assist you in keeping track of previous trips while also inspiring you to plan new ones. You can scratch off the countries and states you’ve visited with a coin. In my opinion, it’s much easier (and less dangerous) than trying to stick a sharp pin into a map. Plus, when guests arrive, you’ll have some remarkable wall art to show off. Scratch maps come in a variety of colors and sizes, so pick wisely!
#2. Resistance Exercise Bands
Do you want to amaze the fitness lover in your life? This one-of-a-kind travel gift got you covered. The Fit Simplify Exercise Bands are ideal for any workout while on the road. It is available in five different resistance levels for intermediate and advanced strength training. It’s so important to keep moving and stretching while traveling. This gift will bring the gym to them wherever they go.
#3. Cube Packing
Another gift for a travel lover is packing cubes, they are the greatest method to keep your luggage tidy and neat. These small gadgets are inexpensive, light, and useful for staying organized when traveling. To enhance the space in your suitcase, simply fold your clothes and valuables into each of these cubes. When you only stay at a hotel for one night, you won’t have to dig through your entire bag to find the clothes you need. I even use one for my washing on occasion.
#4. Emergen Vitamin C Supplements
To travel deeply and meaningfully, you must be in good health. Certainly, there are numerous strategies to strengthen your immune system, ranging from regular exercise and sunlight exposure to ice baths and adequate sleep. Therefore, keeping Vitamin C tablets on hand is a terrific way to stay healthy when on the go. This isn’t one of the most exciting travel gifts available for a travel lover, but it is a useful gift for anyone who enjoys traveling.
#5. Luggage Scale
It seems like most airlines charge way too much for baggage fees these days. At the check-in counter, hearing “your bag is too heavy” is the worst thing that could happen. A travel lover uses portable luggage scales to save money and avoid all of this trouble. It’s one of the best inexpensive travel gifts for a travel lover and will save you a lot of trouble at the check-in counter.
If you get one of these, you’ll never have to worry about having to pay extra fees for having too much stuff in your bag again.
Best Gift for a Travel Lover
Gift-giving can be a difficult undertaking. When in doubt, consider the recipient’s hobbies. Consider giving a travel lover the best gift that will make their journeys more efficient, comfortable, or pleasurable. We have compiled the best gift ideas for a travel lover.
#1. Pacsafe Venturesafe Anti-Theft Travel Backpack
We tried out 14 anti-theft backpacks, but the Pacsafe Venturesafe seems to be the best. With a 45-liter capacity, this travel bag is big enough to hold everything a travel lover needs and more, but it’s still small enough to be a carry-on. Its security features include zippers that can be locked and a steel cable that can be attached to any fixture. Also, the shoulder straps are padded for comfort, and the hip and chest belts help spread the weight evenly.
#2. The Bestargot Titanium French Press for Camping
A portable coffee maker is the best gift for a travel lover who likes to camp, glamp, and explore the outdoors. After trying 18 different coffee presses, the Bestargot Titanium French Press was the best choice for some travel lovers. We love how thick and durable it is, and how the handles can be folded up. Even if your loved one has never used a French press before, this makes it easy to make coffee. You can also use it to heat things like soup, hot chocolate, and tea water.
#3. ALPS Mountaineering Vertex Air Bed
Or, what about a good air mattress? After testing a number of top-rated beds, it was clear that the Vertex Air Bed was the best air mattress to gift a travel lover. It comes with a pump that you can charge, which makes it easy to pump up and deflate. This blow-up air mattress is as comfortable as a cloud, and it makes you feel like you’re sleeping on air. And since it weighs just over 6 pounds and comes with a carry bag, it’s easy to move around.
#4. Madison Sneaker by Dr. Scholls
We tried 15 pairs in search of the best slip-on sneakers for women. Dr. Scholl’s Madison sneaker took first place, because of its extraordinarily comfy, endlessly stylish, and readily packable design. Offered in over two dozen hues, these shoes boast cushioned memory foam insoles, built-in arch support, deep heel cups, and thick rubber outsoles for optimal flexibility and traction underfoot.
Words for Travel Lovers
What about “Hodophile?” If you’re saying, “What’s hodophile!” Indeed, someone who enjoys traveling is a hodophile. The next time you talk to your friends, that will definitely get their attention.
Here are some words for travel lovers that are easy to say and should be part of your regular travel vocabulary.
#1. Globetrotter
Do you know anyone who likes to move around from country to country? Or anyone who likes to travel a lot? Is anyone who leaves small footprints on different continents? They are called globetrotters, and traveling the world is their religion.
#2. Itinerant
Among the words for travel, lovers include Itinerant. Few of us hate being in one place. We come from many different places and love to see new things. Itinerant is a good word for people who like to travel and have a gypsy soul.
#3. Roadie
We often say, “Let’s hit the road!”Although they travel in groups with bands or performers, roadies do just that. Nevertheless, the phrase has recently grown broader, and biking groups might also be referred to as “roadies.”
#4. Rover
Words like Rover are used for travel lovers, Wandering around can get boring after a while, so why not try wandering around for a change? Become a rover, also known as a “travel lover.”
#5. Wayfarer
The quote says, “Catch flights, not feelings,” but what about after you get off the plane? What happens after you get in your car and drive to your hotel? You must go around to find the destination. In certain ways, the wayfarer is included in words used for travel lovers.
#6. Vagabond
Nothing lasts forever. because this globe is just too vast to dwell in a nook. Vagabonds are brave nomads, explorers, and travel lovers who make any place their home.
Likewise, you might have heard this remark from Saint Augustine of Hippo: “The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page.”
#7. Solivagant
Traveling alone is liberating. Words like solivagant are suitable for travel lovers who are brave enough to drive themselves. Traveling alone is a pure delight that every traveler should experience at least once.
Quotes for Travel Lover
You can use travel quotes to describe how you felt while traveling. When you combine the best travel quotes with the power of an image, people will immediately get a sense of how you feel about traveling. This collection of travel quotes is meant to inspire and motivate you and others to pack your bags and go exploring. Here are quotes suitable for a travel lover:
- “Man cannot discover new oceans unless he has the courage to lose sight of the shore.” – Andre Gide
- “Life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all” – Helen Keller
- “I am not the same, having seen the moon shine on the other side of the world.” – Mary Anne Radmacher
- “Don’t tell me how educated you are, tell me how much you have traveled.” – Mohammed
- “Surely, of all the wonders of the world, the horizon is the greatest.” – Freya Stark
- ‘ “Travel isn’t always pretty. It isn’t always comfortable. Sometimes it hurts, it even breaks your heart. But that’s okay. The journey changes you; it should change you. It leaves marks on your memory, on your consciousness, on your heart, and on your body. You take something with you. Hopefully, you leave something good behind.” – Anthony Bourdain
- “A good traveler has no fixed plans, and is not intent on arriving.” – Lao Tzu
- “There are no foreign lands. It is the traveler only who is foreign” – Robert Louis Stevenson
- “The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only one page.” –Saint Augustine
- “Life is meant for good friends and great adventures” – Anonymous
- “I haven’t been everywhere, but it’s on my list.” –Susan Sontag
- “Two roads diverged in a wood, and I – I took the one less traveled by” —Robert Frost
- “Once a year, go somewhere you have never been before.” –Dalai Lama
- “A journey is best measured in friends, rather than miles.” –Tim Cahill
What Do You Call a Travel Addict?
They have what specialists describe as a “strange need to travel,” also known as “Dromomania.” Research has proven that people are happier in their life if they spend time and money traveling.
What Is a Travelling Person Called?
traveler. noun. someone who is on the road or who travels frequently.
Who Is a Wanderlust Person?
A wanderlust person is someone who has a strong desire to travel. His wanderlust would not allow him to stay long in one area.
Who is a Travel Buddy?
Travel Buddy implies:
“A travel buddy is someone who accompanies us on our journey,” which may be a friend or family member. It could be your coworker at times, and it could be you at others. He or she is another adult accompanying you on your journey.
What Is Wanderlust vs. Sunlust?
One is the desire to travel from a known to an unfamiliar location, referred to as “wanderlust” in Gray’s hypothesis. The second reason is what Grays referred to as “sunlust.” This results in a trip to a location that can give the traveler with special facilities that do not exist in his or her own home.
References
- Artoftravel.tips
- Andbeyond
- Myglobalviewpoint
- Travelandleisure.
- Gretastravels.
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