recreational vehicle

American  

noun

1. a van or utility vehicle used for recreational purposes, as camping, and often equipped with living facilities. RV

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recreational vehicle British  

noun

1.  RV.  a large vanlike vehicle equipped to be lived in

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Etymology

Origin of recreational vehicle

First recorded in 1970–75

Example Sentences

Seeing America’s expansive landscape in a recreational vehicle has been part of America’s driving ethos for generations.

From Barron's • Mar. 17, 2026

Crean Lutheran is named after John Crean, the recreational vehicle pioneer and philanthropist with a rags-to-riches story.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 2, 2026

She and her husband were traveling across the United States in a recreational vehicle while she worked as a wedding photographer.

From New York Times • Jun. 7, 2024

Greg Moss, 68, stayed put in his recreational vehicle on Sunday after leaving his home in the community of Channelview in eastern Harris County near the San Jacinto River.

From Seattle Times • May 5, 2024

He said he was not just a car, truck, and recreational vehicle salesman—he was selling the American dream.

From "Landscape with Invisible Hand" by M.T. Anderson