excursion

noun

Save Word

ex·cur·sion | \ ik-ˈskər-zhən

Definition of excursion

1a : a going out or forth : expedition

b(1) : a usually brief pleasure trip

(2) : a trip at special reduced rates

2 : deviation from a direct, definite, or proper course especially : digression needless excursions into abstruse theory

3 : a movement outward and back or from a mean position or axis also : the distance traversed : amplitude the excursion of a piston

Synonyms Did you know? Example Sentences Learn More About excursion

Did you know?

In Latin, the prefix ex- means "out of" and the verb currere means "to run." When the two are put together, they form the verb excurrere, literally "to run out" or "to extend." Excurrere gave rise not only to excursion but also to excurrent (an adjective for things having channels or currents that run outward) and excursus (meaning "an appendix or digression that contains further exposition of some point or topic"). Other words deriving from currere include corridor, curriculum, and among newer words, parkour.

Examples of excursion in a Sentence

They went on a brief excursion to the coast. our weekend excursions have encompassed virtually all parts of our home state

Recent Examples on the Web To see the Pyramids of Giza and the Sphinx in luxurious style, book the hotel’s once-in-a-lifetime Dine at One of the Seven Wonders excursion. — Elizabeth Brownfield, Forbes, 1 Aug. 2022 The excursion marked another rare look at Rihanna's style as a new mother just two months after welcoming her baby boy with Rocky. — Alyssa Bailey, ELLE, 28 July 2022 Merrideth Sears, a facilitator who led the Tuskegee excursion, chairs the history department at Handley High School in Roanoke, a town in eastern Alabama. — al, 14 July 2022 The excursion comes as Pelosi and fellow Democrats in Washington have struggled to respond to the nation’s worsening economic picture. — Haris Alic, Fox News, 9 July 2022 The aforementioned Meet the Makers excursion is a road trip off premises to visit with local artisans and learn about their craft. — Adam Schubak, Good Housekeeping, 7 July 2022 How else to explain that nobody resembled him among the passengers disembarking from the bus and walking back to the hotel on the day of the Olive Garden excursion? — Han Ong, The New Yorker, 18 July 2022 The second key element of the Eilean excursion was Li Galli, an archipelago of small islands off the Amalfi coast between Positano and Capri. — Carol Besler, Robb Report, 27 June 2022 The last highlight of the excursion is the building of the Artem military concern, which was hit twice by missiles. — Yulia Drozd, ABC News, 1 June 2022 See More

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'excursion.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.