camper

American  

[kam-per] / ˈkæm pər /

noun

campers plural

1. a person who camps out for recreation, especially in the wilderness.

2. a person who attends a summer camp or day camp.

3. Also called pickup camper, truck camper.  a trucklike vehicle, van, or trailer that is fitted or suitable for recreational camping, or a pickup truck on which a structure fitted for camping is mounted.

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verb (used without object)

1. to travel and live in a vehicular camper.

   We're going to camper for two weeks during our vacation.

camper British  

/ ˈkæmpə /

noun

1. a person who lives or temporarily stays in a tent, cabin, etc

2. a vehicle equipped for camping out

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• campers
  plural

Etymology

Origin of camper

1625–35; 1960–65 camper for def. 3; camp ¹ + -er ¹

Explanation

Anyone who regularly hikes into the woods, pitches a tent, and spends the night under the stars, snuggled into a sleeping bag, is a camper. People who go camping are campers, whether they sleep under the stars, in a cabin, or in a fancy Winnebago. And if you do have a recreational vehicle, you can say you're a camper who sleeps in your camper! The common colloquial phrase happy camper was coined in the 1980s: when you're a happy camper, you're as content as a kid who's having a blast at summer camp, paddling canoes on the lake and eating s'mores by the fire.

Example Sentences

Camper vans also are widely available for rent here, with rates starting at around 65 euros to 85 euros a day, or roughly $77 to $100, depending on size and location.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 28, 2025

With the Band’s demise, Hudson settled into a consistent life as a session musician, appearing on records by Poco, Van Morrison, the Call, Camper Van Beethoven, Mary Gauthier and many others.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 21, 2025

The ship is managed by Camper and Nicholsons International.

From BBC • Aug. 19, 2024

I had a Barbie Dream House and a Country Camper, but my favorite was the doll house my dad made for me.

From Seattle Times • Jul. 21, 2023

Camper devised a four-sided open frame with cross-wires, through which skulls were viewed and by means of which accurate drawings could be projected on to paper.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 7, Slice 6 "Coucy-le-Château" to "Crocodile" by Various