caravan

[ kar-uh-van ]

noun

1. a group of travelers, as merchants or pilgrims, journeying together for safety in passing through deserts, hostile territory, etc.

   Synonyms: band, cavalcade, train, procession, parade

2. any group traveling in or as if in a caravan and using a specific mode of transportation, as pack animals or motor vehicles:

   a caravan of trucks; a camel caravan.

3. a large covered vehicle for conveying passengers, goods, a sideshow, etc.; van.
4. Chiefly British. a house on wheels; trailer.

verb (used with object)

, car·a·vaned or car·a·vanned, car·a·van·ing or car·a·van·ning.

1. to carry in or as if in a caravan:

   Trucks caravaned food and medical supplies to the flood's survivors.

verb (used without object)

, car·a·vaned or car·a·vanned, car·a·van·ing or car·a·van·ning.

1. to travel in or as if in a caravan:

   They caravaned through Egypt.

caravan

/ ˈkærəˌvæn /

noun

1. 1. a large enclosed vehicle capable of being pulled by a car or lorry and equipped to be lived in US and Canadian nametrailer
   2. ( as modifier )

      a caravan site

2. (esp in some parts of Asia and Africa) a company of traders or other travellers journeying together, often with a train of camels, through the desert
3. a group of wagons, pack mules, camels, etc, esp travelling in single file
4. a large covered vehicle, esp a gaily coloured one used by Romany Gypsies, circuses, etc

verb

1. intr to travel or have a holiday in a caravan

Derived Forms

• ˈcaraˌvanning, noun

Other Words From

• cara·vanist noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of caravan¹

1590–1600; earlier carovan < Italian carovana < Persian kārwān

Word History and Origins

Origin of caravan¹

C16: from Italian caravana, from Persian kārwān

Example Sentences

A caravan of trams stuck in the middle of the medieval city waited in line for the protest to end.

From The Daily Beast

On May 13, 2014, a pickup truck approached a caravan of white vans moving on a road near Baqubah, east of Baghdad, in Iraq.

From The Daily Beast

I met a girl on holiday in a caravan park—which you guys call a trailer park—and she was from Northern Ireland.

From The Daily Beast

The caravan was carrying humanitarian aid, Russian authorities said.

From The Daily Beast

The progress of the caravan of SUVs and buses ferrying the embassy staff out to Tunisia was monitored in real-time in Washington.

From The Daily Beast

I decided to go with the caravan into the town because the caravan people knew the shortest way.

From Project Gutenberg

No sooner had the caravan reached us than our attention was drawn to the faces of the camels probing the distance.

From Project Gutenberg

Toward midday the whole caravan stopped and all the animals were tied under different trees for two or three hours to rest.

From Project Gutenberg

Soon a cuckoo called from the distance and in a few moments the caravan was ready to move on.

From Project Gutenberg

As the caravan came nearer, David was convinced that he saw before him the owner of the cache and the canine.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• cavalcade
• convoy
• expedition
• procession