itinerary

eye-TIN-uh-rer-ee /aɪˈtɪnərəri/
nounB2IELTSTOEFLGREGMAT
NeutralFormalProfessional

A planned route or journey, including a list of places to visit and a timetable.

Focuses on the structured, chronological schedule of a trip, rather than just the destination itself.

The story behind the word. Traces back to the Latin 'itinerarium,' from 'iter,' meaning 'journey' or 'way' (which itself comes from 'ire,' to go). In medieval times, an itinerary was a guide for pilgrims, listing the safe stations and holy sites along their route.

Word relationships

  • schedule: A schedule is a general timetable for any activities, whereas an itinerary is specifically designed for travel and journeys.
  • wandering: Aimless movement without a planned route or schedule.

Commonly confused with

  • destination: A destination is the final endpoint of a trip, while an itinerary is the route and schedule to get there.

Word family

  • itineraries (noun): Plural form of itinerary.

Collocations

  • detailed itinerary
  • travel itinerary
  • planned itinerary
  • flexible itinerary

Example sentences

  • "According to our itinerary, we are scheduled to visit the museum in the morning and take a boat cruise in the afternoon." A structured travel plan

Memory hook

An 'itinerary' tells you 'it' (where you are going) and 'when' (your schedule). Your journey's master schedule.

When not to use

Do not use for a spontaneous, unplanned wander or a simple daily to-do list that doesn't involve travel.

Fun facts

  • One of the oldest surviving itineraries is the Antonine Itinerary, a 3rd-century register of the stations and roads of the Roman Empire.

Related words

destination, excursion

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