nomad

noun

no·​mad ˈnō-ˌmad How to pronounce nomad (audio)
1
: a member of a people who have no fixed residence but move from place to place usually seasonally and within a well-defined territory
For centuries nomads have shepherded goats, sheep, and cattle across the … semiarid grasslands …Discovery
2
: an individual who roams about
He lived like a nomad for a few years after college, never holding a job in one place for very long.
nomad adjective
nomadism noun

Examples of nomad in a Sentence

He lived like a nomad for a few years after college, never holding a job in one place for very long. after college she became quite the nomad, backpacking through Europe with no particular destination
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The core of the RSF consists of Arabic-speaking nomads, once known as the Janjaweed, who have long been in conflict with the non-Arab farmers in this part of Sudan. Lynsey Addario, The Atlantic, 12 May 2025 Although it is produced in Kazakhstan, using markedly modern distillation equipment, the drink is actually inspired by ancient Iranian nomads. Brad Japhe, Forbes.com, 30 Apr. 2025 Drawing from The Last of Us Part II video game, the series introduces these hooded nomads as significant players in the battle for Seattle, facing off against rival factions and threatening the safety of the protagonists Ellie and Dina. Mohammed Soliman, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 Apr. 2025 The narrative here has always been driven by nomads and newcomers, people who rolled — or later, flew — across plains and settled into place with open minds and fresh perspectives, inspiring new chapters in the story. Ray Mark Rinaldi, Denver Post, 14 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for nomad

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Latin Nomades (singular Nomas), name given to various pastoral peoples, as in northern Africa or Scythia, borrowed from Greek nomádes "pastoral people who move from place to place seasonally," plural of nomad-, nomás "wanderer, shepherd," as adjective, "wandering, roaming," from nomḗ "pasturing of animals, pasture, herd" or nomós "pasture, feeding ground" (both o-ablaut derivatives of némein "to graze, pasture [animals]) + -ad-, -as, noun and adjective suffix denoting descent from or connection with — more at nimble

First Known Use

1579, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of nomad was in 1579

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Nomad.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nomad. Accessed 23 May. 2025.

Kids Definition

nomad

noun
no·​mad ˈnō-ˌmad How to pronounce nomad (audio)
1
: a member of a people that has no fixed home but wanders from place to place
2
: an individual who roams about without a goal or purpose
nomad adjective
or nomadic
nō-ˈmad-ik
nomadism noun

More from Merriam-Webster on nomad

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