encampment

American  

[en-kamp-muhnt] / ɛnˈkæmp mənt /

noun

1. an act or instance of encamping; lodgment in a camp.

2. the place or quarters occupied in camping; camp.

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encampment British  

/ ɪnˈkæmpmənt /

noun

1. the act of setting up a camp

2. the place where a camp, esp a military camp, is set up

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Etymology

Origin of encampment

First recorded in 1590–1600; encamp + -ment

Explanation

An encampment is a temporary area made up of tents or other makeshift shelters set up by campers, soldiers, or people without permanent homes. An encampment can provide shelter, community, and a base of operations, whether for recreation, protest, or military purposes. Encampments may pop up when people are displaced by war, natural disasters, or other hardships. Sometimes people create an encampment at a music festival or during a protest so that there is a place to stay and rest without having to leave the area.

Related Words

• campground
• campsite