caravan

1 of 2

noun

car·​a·​van ˈker-ə-ˌvan 

ˈka-rə-

1

a

: a company of travelers on a journey through desert or hostile regions

also : a train of pack animals

b

: a group of vehicles traveling together (as in a file)

2

a

: a covered wagon or motor vehicle equipped as traveling living quarters

b

British : trailer sense 1b

caravan

2 of 2

verb

caravanned or caravaned; caravanning or caravaning

intransitive verb

: to travel in a caravan

Synonyms

Noun

• armada
• cavalcade
• fleet
• line
• motorcade
• train

Examples of caravan in a Sentence

Noun

a funeral caravan slowly making its way down the street

bought a caravan and drove cross-country to California

Verb

We caravaned to the campsite.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

The city is preparing for what has become not just a joyous weekend celebration of Mexican Independence Day, but a mass caravan that causes extreme gridlock downtown. —Justin Kaufmann, Axios, 12 Sep. 2024

There was a book barge on the Erie Canal in the early nineteenth century, for example, and there were book caravans—vehicles outfitted to display books for sale—until well into the twentieth century. —Louis Menand, The New Yorker, 19 Aug. 2024

Verb

Every year, my nuclear family caravaned to Colima, a small state in western Mexico, with at least four other families. —Natalie Arroyo Camacho, refinery29.com, 16 July 2024

Groups will caravan along the reservoir to observe the eagles. —Karl Schneider, The Indianapolis Star, 26 Jan. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Italian caravana, from Persian kārvān

First Known Use

Noun

1588, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

1885, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

caravan

noun

car·​a·​van

ˈkar-ə-ˌvan

1

a

: a group (as of merchants or pilgrims) traveling together on a long journey through desert or dangerous regions

b

: a group of pack animals or of vehicles traveling together one behind the other

2

: a covered vehicle

especially : one equipped as traveling living quarters