Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com

expeditionary

American  
[ek-spi-dish-uh-ner-ee] / ˌɛk spɪˈdɪʃ əˌnɛr i /

adjective

  1. pertaining to or composing an expedition.

    an expeditionary force.


expeditionary British  
/ ˌɛkspɪˈdɪʃənərɪ /

adjective

  1. relating to or constituting an expedition, esp a military one

    an expeditionary force

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

Other Word Forms


Etymology

Origin of expeditionary

First recorded in 1700–10; expedition + -ary


Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

When the additional carrier strike group and Marine expeditionary unit arrive in theater, the U.S. will have more than two dozen Navy ships operating in the Middle East, according to a Navy official.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 24, 2026

On Friday, the Pentagon announced that an additional expeditionary unit of 2,500 Marines was being deployed to the region to support the effort.

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 15, 2026

Central Command, responsible for American forces in the Middle East, to move a Marine expeditionary group, among others, to the region, The Wall Street Journal previously reported.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 15, 2026

The United States Marines are the country’s elite shock troops and an expeditionary force that specializes in amphibious assaults.

From Salon ● Jun. 12, 2025

A British expeditionary force was about to sail across the English Channel and link up with French forces fighting in Belgium.

From "The War to End All Wars: World War I" by Russell Freedman

Random Word

Spin the wheel and learn a new word!

Get a word

Vocabulary.com logo
by dictionary.com

Just like flashcards, but way more fun

Don't take our word for it. Leave the boring studying behind and join VocabTrainer today. You'll learn even faster and never look back.

Take me to Vocabulary.com