expedition
ek-spuh-DISH-uhn
/ˌɛkspəˈdɪʃən/
A journey or voyage undertaken by a group of people with a particular purpose, especially that of exploration, scientific research, or war.
Implies a highly organized, purposeful, and often dangerous journey, rather than a casual vacation or simple trip.
The story behind the word. Derived from the Latin 'expeditio', which comes from 'expedire', meaning 'to extricate, prepare, or set free.' Literally, it translates to 'to free the feet' (from 'ex-' meaning out + 'pes/pedis' meaning foot). It originally referred to preparing a military force for prompt action by freeing them from obstacles.
Word relationships
- exploration: Exploration is the act of searching or traveling for the purpose of discovery, while an expedition is the specific, organized journey itself.
- mission: A mission is an assignment or task with a specific goal, often military or religious, whereas an expedition always involves physical travel to a remote destination.
Commonly confused with
- excursion: An excursion is a short, leisurely pleasure trip, whereas an expedition is a long, serious, and highly organized journey.
Word family
- expeditionary (adjective): Relating to or forming an expedition, especially a military one.
- expedite (verb): To make an action or process happen sooner or be accomplished more quickly (historically related root).
Collocations
- scientific expedition
- polar expedition
- mountaineering expedition
- launch an expedition
Example sentences
- "The scientific expedition spent three months studying the ice sheets of Greenland, braving extreme cold and isolation." A history of polar exploration
- "The university sponsored an archaeological expedition to search for the lost city in the dense jungles of Central America." An archaeological report
Memory hook
Think of 'ex-pedition'—you are freeing your feet ('ped') to go 'ex'-ternal (out) into the wild world. Freeing your feet ('ped') to go on a grand journey.
When not to use
Do not use to describe a family vacation to an amusement park or a routine business trip.
Fun facts
- The Lewis and Clark Expedition (1804–1806) was officially called the 'Corps of Discovery Expedition' and was commissioned by President Thomas Jefferson to map the newly acquired western territory.
Explore more words
excursion, campaign, destination, endeavor, procession, mobilize
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