"For my part," writes Robert Louis Stevenson in Travels with a Donkey, "I travel not to go anywhere, but to go. I travel for travel's sake. The great affair is to move." Sounds like a case of wanderlust if we ever heard one. Those with wanderlust don't necessarily need to go anywhere in particular; they just don't care to stay in one spot. The etymology of wanderlust is a very simple one that you can probably figure out yourself. Wanderlust is a lust for wandering. The word comes from German, in which wandern means "to hike or roam about," and Lust means "pleasure or delight."
Examples of wanderlust in a Sentence
Wanderlust has led him to many different parts of the world.
Recent Examples on the WebThe wanderlust fire sign will find inspiration from the cosmic tips, ideas and suggestions for vacations this book offers for their future journeys.—Lisa Stardust, Peoplemag, 14 May 2024 That’s notably higher than the 40% who confessed those same ambitions in 2021 and could come as a surprise to many employers who thought this corporate wanderlust had ended months ago.—Chris Morris, Fortune, 9 May 2024 See all Example Sentences for wanderlust
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'wanderlust.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
German, from wandern to wander + Lust desire, pleasure
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