expedition

[ ek-spi-dish-uhn ]

noun

1. an excursion, journey, or voyage made for some specific purpose, as of war or exploration.
2. the group of persons, ships, etc., engaged in such an activity:

   a large expedition of scientists and military personnel.

3. promptness or speed in accomplishing something:

   He worked with great expedition.

   Synonyms: quickness, alacrity, dispatch

expedition

/ ˌɛkspɪˈdɪʃən /

noun

1. an organized journey or voyage for a specific purpose, esp for exploration or for a scientific or military purpose
2. the people and equipment comprising an expedition
3. a pleasure trip; excursion
4. promptness in acting; dispatch

Other Words From

• preex·pe·dition noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of expedition¹

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English, from Latin expedītiōn- (stem of expedītiō ) “a (military) traveling.” See expedite, -ion

Word History and Origins

Origin of expedition¹

C15: from Latin expedītiō, from expedīre to prepare, expedite

Idioms and Phrases

see fishing expedition .

Synonym Study

See trip ¹.

Example Sentences

Scientists on the expedition measured the coral using a type of tape measure under water.

From BBC

But Schneider’s normcore exterior belies an undercurrent of intensity: There’s a particular, obsessive mindset required to conceive of and execute such an ambitious public expedition every year over two decades.

From Los Angeles Times

But after a second expedition to the site, Romeo announced this week that the discovery amounted to less than they had hoped.

From Los Angeles Times

Images and a digital scan from an 2022 expedition carried out by deep-sea mapping company Magellan and documentary makers Atlantic Productions show that the railing was still attached - though it was starting to buckle.

From BBC

In the past, Russian leaders who have failed in military expeditions or wars usually don't have a long life.

From Salon

Related Words

• caravan
• crew
• cruise
• crusade
• excursion
• exploration
• jaunt
• outing
• patrol
• quest
• safari
• squadron
• tour
• travel
• trek
• trip
• undertaking

More About Expedition

What is an expedition?

An expedition is an organized journey or voyage made with a specific purpose, as in Johann packed only a large backpack for the expedition across the Alps.

 

An expedition can describe any trip made with a specific purpose or for the purpose of simple exploration. The term is used formally by militaries, cartographers, groups that aim to protect wildlife, and many others. For example, a military expedition is a specific type of military operation in which a group of soldiers move into a foreign country to accomplish a task.

 

Expedition can also be used to refer to a pleasure trip, especially for a trip to a location that is farther than a person would normally go.

 

Expedition can also refer to the group of people who go on the trip. For example, a scientific expedition to the rainforest can mean the trip to the rainforest or those who go on the trip.

 

Example: We took an expedition around the world to see all the sights.

Where does expedition come from?

The first records of the term expedition come from the 1400s. It ultimately comes from the Latin expedītiō, meaning “a military traveling.” Despite sharing a root word, an expedition does not have to be expedited, or sped up.

In popular culture, and often on television, the word expedition is used in reference to content dealing with locations viewers might never go to, such as African deserts or Antarctic tundras. Examples of this are the network television shows “Expedition Unknown,” “Expedition Bigfoot,” “The Ultimate Expedition,” “Expedition Mars,”  and “Expedition to the Edge.” All deal with taking a narrator and a camera crew, or in some cases a camera rover, to lands far from the viewers.

Did you know … ?

What are some other forms related to expedition?

• preexpedition (noun)
• expeditionary (adjective)

What are some synonyms for expedition?

• excursion
• jaunt
• outing
• travel

What are some words that share a root or word element with expedition? 

• expedite
• pedometer
• expeditate
• expeditious

What are some words that often get used in discussing expedition?

• explore
• group
• hunt
• map

How is expedition used in real life?

Expedition is normally used to talk about a trip, especially one that was full of adventure.

I'm on a night expedition to find the ultimate rock to carve a stone sword. stone is easier to work with at night, this is a magical fact 🗿🗡

— PJ (@kickthepj) June 29, 2016

You can pay to go with National Geographic on its expeditions to exotic places – like Antarctica.

— UberFacts (@UberFacts) June 6, 2014

The tragic death this morning of my 4-year old daughter’s carnival goldfish (affectionately named Asuka) led to many tears and a $200 expedition to @Petco for a new aquarium.

The moral of the story is, don’t go to carnivals…I think.

— Corey Graves (@WWEGraves) July 27, 2018

 

Try using expedition!

Which of the following is NOT a synonym for expedition?

A. tour
B. travel
C. halt
D. outing