excursion
Americannoun
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excursions
plural
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a short trip or outing to some place, usually for a special purpose and with the intention of a prompt return.
a pleasure excursion; a scientific excursion.
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a trip on a train, ship, etc., at a reduced rate.
weekend excursions to mountain resorts.
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the group of persons making such a journey.
an excursion of tourists.
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a deviation or digression.
excursions into futile philosophizing.
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Physics. the displacement of a body or a point from a mean position or neutral value, as in an oscillation.
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an accidental increase in the power level of a reactor, usually forcing its emergency shutdown.
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Machinery.
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the range of stroke of any moving part.
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the stroke itself.
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Obsolete. a sally or raid.
verb (used without object)
adjective
noun
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a short outward and return journey, esp for relaxation, sightseeing, etc; outing
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a group of people going on such a journey
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(modifier) of or relating to special reduced rates offered on certain journeys by rail
an excursion ticket
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a digression or deviation; diversion
an excursion into politics
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(formerly) a raid or attack
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physics
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a movement from an equilibrium position, as in an oscillation
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the magnitude of this displacement
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the normal movement of a movable bodily organ or part from its resting position, such as the lateral movement of the lower jaw
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machinery the locus of a point on a moving part, esp the deflection of a whirling shaft
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of excursion
First recorded in 1565–75, excursion is from the Latin word excursiōn- (stem of excursiō ). See excursus, -ion
Explanation
An excursion is taken more for pleasure than for practical reasons. Your business trip, when you spent most of the week waiting in airports and adjusting to different time zones, does not count as an excursion. The Latin root for excursion is excurrere, meaning "to run out." So if you run out for a bit to get some fresh air, you've gone on an excursion. If you leave specifically to buy milk from the corner store and end up swimming in a stream, you've probably taken an excursion into the woods.
Vocabulary lists containing excursion
"The Great Gatsby," Chapter 1 Vocabulary
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Surviving Hitler
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Greetings, World Traveler! — List 3
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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:
Maxime Fallet, who works at a Doubs riverboat excursion company, fears the lake is "destined to disappear", for lack of a plan to save it.
From Barron's ● Oct. 4, 2026
Previous to that excursion, the biggest trip I can remember making was driving 90 miles from Louisville to watch the Cincinnati Reds play at Crosley Field.
From Salon ● Sep. 11, 2026
On Sunday, Javier Fuentes woke up at 4:30 a.m. to prep for an all-day fishing excursion at Hesperia Lake Park, which opens to anglers at 6 a.m.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 1, 2026
Admire the classic and modern boats in the port, or sign up for an excursion with Bateaux Verts, which offers ferry rides and boat trips.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 20, 2026
Rosy and Gosling were pugnaciously assertive: their future course of action would be unaffected by their fifty-mile excursion into adolescent blather.
From "Double Helix" by James D. Watson
Viking distinguishes itself from other major cruise lines, though, marketing its smaller ships, included excursions and emphasis on time ashore to an older, more affluent customer base, StoneX analyst Mike Hickey says in a note.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 25, 2026
The problem for the couple was that they had booked accommodation and excursions separately, and that is money they have lost.
From BBC ● Sep. 10, 2026
His son, the film director Riley Sweeney Lynch, recalls him turning these excursions into a game.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 3, 2026
This route brings people together, including me and my car enthusiast friends, who regularly go on these driving excursions — gas prices be damned.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 13, 2026
He admitted he needed to take occasional breaks from the intensity of the clinic, but mostly these time-consuming excursions were to set an example for the doctors and nurses who worked beside him.
From "Mountains Beyond Mountains" by Tracy Kidder and Michael French
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
