bushcraft

American

[boosh-kraft, -krahft] / ˈbʊʃˌkræft, -ˌkrɑft /

noun

Australian.

skill in anything pertaining to bush country, as in finding one's way, hunting, or finding water.

bushcraft British

/ ˈbʊʃˌkrɑːft /

noun

ability and experience in matters concerned with living in the bush

"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

Etymology

Origin of bushcraft

First recorded in 1870–75; bush ¹ + craft

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.

Helicopters, dog squads and reinforcements from New Zealand were dispatched to help track Freeman, who reportedly possessed strong bushcraft and outdoor survival skills.

From Barron's • Mar. 30, 2026

"Our understanding is that he understands bushcraft well which provides a challenge to us."

From BBC • Aug. 26, 2025

The bushcraft and survivalism business is currently booming.

From Slate • Oct. 27, 2024

Brech is a member of a Dutch bushcraft club, where members share experiences about living in the wild.

From Seattle Times • Aug. 27, 2018

It was in the Shoalhaven district that young Hamilton Hume, the first Australian-born explorer to make his mark in the field, gained his bushcraft.

From The Explorers of Australia and their Life-work by Favenc, Ernest

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023