campaign

[kam-peyn]

noun

1. the competition by rival political candidates and organizations for public office.

2. a systematic course of aggressive activities for some specific purpose.

   a sales campaign.

   Synonyms: offensive, push, effort, drive

3. Military.

   1. military operations for a specific objective.

   2. Obsolete.,  the military operations of an army in the field for one season.

4. a story in a role-playing game, spread out over multiple play sessions, that usually keeps the same plot, setting, or main characters.

   Last week we finished our campaign and I already miss it.

verb (used without object)

1. to serve in or go on a campaign.

   He planned to campaign for the candidate.

   My daughter has been campaigning for a later curfew for months.

verb (used with object)

1. to race (a horse, boat, car, etc.) in a number or series of competitions.

campaign

/ kæmˈpeɪn /

noun

1. a series of coordinated activities, such as public speaking and demonstrating, designed to achieve a social, political, or commercial goal

   a presidential campaign

   an advertising campaign

2. military a number of complementary operations aimed at achieving a single objective, usually constrained by time or geographic area

verb

1. to conduct, serve in, or go on a campaign

Other Word Forms

• campaigner noun
• countercampaign noun
• precampaign noun
• recampaign verb
• uncampaigning adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of campaign¹

First recorded in 1620–30; from French campagne, from Italian campagna, from Late Latin campānia “level district,” equivalent to Latin camp(us) “field” + -ān(us) -an + -ia -ia

Word History and Origins

Origin of campaign¹

C17: from French campagne open country, from Italian campagna, from Late Latin campānia, from Latin campus field

Related Words

• crusade 
• drive 
• fight 
• movement 
• offensive 
• operation 
• push