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.

Example Sentences

The last time authority officials visited the encampment, on April 29, the team found six people.

From Los Angeles Times • May 6, 2026

The agency apparently knew there had been an encampment in the tunnel, because Caltrans reported previously doing a cleanup there, McOsker said.

From Los Angeles Times • May 6, 2026

The encampment had previously been on private property and moved to its most recent location after the owner performed a cleanup, Yee said.

From Los Angeles Times • May 6, 2026

The encampment took advantage of the vulnerable property and exacerbated existing problems.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 1, 2026

We come out in the rebel encampment, a ten-block stretch outside the train station where Peeta and I made our previous arrivals.

From "Mockingjay" by Suzanne Collins

Related Words

• campground
• campsite