nomad

American  

[noh-mad] / ˈnoʊ mæd /

noun

• nomads
  plural

1. a member of a people or tribe that has no permanent abode but moves about from place to place, usually seasonally and often following a traditional route or circuit according to the state of the pasturage or food supply.

2. any wanderer; itinerant.

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adjective

1. nomadic.

nomad British  

/ ˈnəʊmæd /

noun

1. a member of a people or tribe who move from place to place to find pasture and food

2. a person who continually moves from place to place; wanderer

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• nomadism
  noun
• nonnomad
  noun
• seminomad
  noun
• seminomadism
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• nomads
  plural

Etymology

Origin of nomad

First recorded in 1580–90; from Latin nomad-, from Greek, stem of nomás “roaming about for pasture,” akin to némein “to pasture, graze”

Explanation

A nomad is someone with no permanent home, like the member of a tribe that moves from place to place in search of food, or the rock star who spends 365 days a year in tour buses and hotel rooms. The word nomad has traditionally meant a member of a tribe of people who roamed from place to place in search of animals and shelter. Nomadic tribes wandered out of necessity. Wherever the food went, they went. In its more modern sense, a nomad is someone who would rather wander from place to place than set down roots, like the nomad who crashes at his friends' apartments in various cities instead of renting his own place.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

nomad nomads

Srinivasan’s ideology was a draw for Pranit Garg, a 29-year-old digital nomad who moved here in March, but his favorite part was the gym and all-you-can-eat protein.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 1, 2026

"Being a digital nomad is not defined by nationality. Our community includes members from many countries, including Indonesia."

From BBC ● Jul. 27, 2026

Once the nomad larvae hatch, they kill the host bee larvae and consume the stored pollen and nectar intended for the mining bees.

From Science Daily ● May 28, 2026

The idea of being a digital nomad with no oversight is romantic, but when your income is project-based or hourly billed, you start feeling like every waking moment you aren’t working is costing you money.

From MarketWatch ● Mar. 16, 2026

The invention of grafting was hardly just a matter of some nomad relieving herself at a latrine and returning later to be pleasantly surprised by the resulting crop of fine fruit.

From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond

The company focuses its offering on so-called digital nomads, and previously said it would target metropolitan areas with large expatriate communities to drive U.S. growth.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 10, 2026

Bali, Indonesia's famed tropical paradise, has become a hostspot for digital nomads in recent years, resulting in growing tensions between expats and locals.

From BBC ● Jul. 27, 2026

In a statement posted on Friday, Entourage Bali said that its run clubs were "open for everyone, including non-digital nomads".

From BBC ● Jul. 27, 2026

Critics have blamed rising rents and the displacement of longtime residents and businesses on a wave of digital nomads and other expatriates from the United States, Canada, Europe and elsewhere.

From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 22, 2025

They are nomads of the deserts no man can travel.

From "The Many Assassinations of Samir, the Seller of Dreams" by Daniel Nayeri

Related Words

• migrant
• pilgrim
• vagabond
• wanderer