grand tour

American  

noun

1. an extended tour of Europe, formerly regarded as a necessary part of the education of young British gentlemen.

2. an extended tour of any region or country.

3. a comprehensive guided tour or inspection, as of a building, exhibit, or military installation.

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grand tour British  

noun

1. (formerly) an extended tour through the major cities of Europe, esp one undertaken by a rich or aristocratic Englishman to complete his education

2. informal an extended sightseeing trip, tour of inspection, etc

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grand tour Idioms  

1. A comprehensive tour, survey, or inspection. For example, They took me on a grand tour of their new house, or The new chairman will want to make a grand tour of all the branches. Starting in the late 1600s this term was used for a tour of the major European cities, considered essential to a well-bred man's education. In the mid-1800s it was extended to more general use.

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Etymology

Origin of grand tour

First recorded in 1660–70

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

grand tour

Gen. Lafayette of the Continental Army, returned after an absence of more than 40 years for a grand tour of the country he so gallantly served at its birth.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 4, 2026

For U.S. dividend seekers, it might be time to take a grand tour of Europe.

From Barron's ● Feb. 12, 2026

Carapaz was the first Ecuadorian to win a grand tour, the 2019 Giro d’Italia.

From Seattle Times ● May 27, 2024

Building off the success of its Hope spacecraft, which is still circling and studying Mars, the United Arab Emirates announced on Monday plans for an ambitious follow-up mission: a grand tour of the asteroid belt.

From New York Times ● May 29, 2023

Contemplating the grand tour of Lawrence and Alvarez and the resurgent electioneering of Teller for the Super, Oppenheimer aired his doubts to Conant in a letter affectionately addressed to “Uncle Jim.”

From "Big Science" by Michael Hiltzik