vacation

The word “vacation” means a trip or period of time away from home taken for rest or pleasure. In plain terms, a holiday — time away from work or school for rest or travel.

“Vacation” is pronounced vuh-KAY-shuhn (/veɪˈkeɪ.ʃən/ in IPA).

Here is “vacation” used in a sentence: “They booked a two-week vacation in Portugal.”

Words with a similar meaning to “vacation” include annual leave, break, day off, getaway, holiday and leave.

Depending on how it is used, “vacation” can be a noun and a verb.

The word “vacation” comes from Latin. From Old French vacation, from Latin vacatio ("freedom from duty"), from vacare ("to be free, to be empty").

“Vacation” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A1 level.

“Vacation” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a trip or period of time away from home taken for rest or pleasure.

They mean much the same thing, but usage differs by region. In American English, vacation is the everyday word for a trip or time off for leisure. In British English, that same idea is usually called a holiday, while vacation there more often refers to university or court recess periods.

A trip is any journey from one place to another, whatever the reason, including business or errands. A vacation is specifically time away taken for rest or pleasure. Every vacation involves a trip or time off, but plenty of trips are not vacations at all.

Vacations give people a break from work and routine, which supports rest, recovery, and mental wellbeing. Time away can reduce stress, restore energy, and improve focus on returning. They also create space for family, travel, and new experiences that everyday schedules rarely allow.

Vacations come in many styles. A beach or resort vacation centres on relaxation, while an adventure vacation involves hiking or sport. Others include road trips, cruises, city breaks, and staycations spent at home. The common thread is time set aside from work for rest or enjoyment.