definitions

vacation

[ vey-key-shuh n, vuh- ]
/ veɪˈkeɪ ʃən, və- /
|
SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR vacation ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

a period of suspension of work, study, or other activity, usually used for rest, recreation, or travel; recess or holiday: Schoolchildren are on vacation now.
a part of the year, regularly set aside, when normal activities of law courts, legislatures, etc., are suspended.
freedom or release from duty, business, or activity.
an act or instance of vacating.

verb (used without object)

to take or have a vacation: to vacation in the Caribbean.

RELATED CONTENT

What Does 🌴 Palm Tree Emoji Mean?Do you hear ukuleles? The palm tree emoji depicts a brown trunk with bright green palm fronds, and it immediately conjures images of vacation, the tropics, and relaxation. Are we there yet?
READ MORE
🇫🇷 Flag for France Emoji - Emoji by Dictionary.comRead more in this article about some frequently asked questions and fun facts related to our definitions.
READ MORE

RELATED WORDS

customer, patron, visitor, caller, companion, inmate, client, recipient, tenant, sightseer, wayfarer, traveler, voyager, tourer, globetrotter, lodger, transient, boarder, frequenter, mate

Nearby words

vac, vacancy, vacant, vacant possession, vacate, vacation, vacation bible school, vacation pay, vacationer, vacationland, vacaville

Origin of vacation

1350–1400; < Latin vacātiōn- (stem of vacātiō freedom from something; see vacate, -ion); replacing Middle English vacacioun < Anglo-French

Related forms

va·ca·tion·er, va·ca·tion·ist, nounva·ca·tion·less, adjectivemin·i·va·ca·tion, nounpre·va·ca·tion, noun, adjective

Can be confused

vacation vocation
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for vacationer

  • If it was, it would reveal instantly that he was an officer, and not the vacationer that the sheriff had pictured him to be.

    Agent Nine and the Jewel Mystery|Graham M. Dean

British Dictionary definitions for vacationer (1 of 2)

vacationer

vacationist (vəˈkeɪʃənɪst)

/ (vəˈkeɪʃənə) /

noun

US and Canadian a person taking a vacationAlso called: (esp Brit) holiday-maker

British Dictionary definitions for vacationer (2 of 2)

vacation

/ (vəˈkeɪʃən) /

noun

mainly British a period of the year when the law courts or universities are closed
mainly US and Canadian a period in which a break is taken from work or studies for rest, travel, or recreationAlso called (in Britain and certain other countries) holiday
the act of departing from or abandoning property, etc

verb

(intr) US and Canadian to take a vacation; holiday

Derived Forms

vacationless, adjective

Word Origin for vacation

C14: from Latin vacātiō freedom, from vacāre to be empty
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