itinerary
eye-TIN-uh-rer-ee
/aɪˈtɪnəreri/
A detailed plan or route of a journey, including dates, times, and destinations.
Specifically refers to the planned schedule of a trip, rather than just the physical route itself.
The story behind the word. Derived from the Latin 'itinerarium', which was a road map or list of stations along a Roman road. This itself comes from 'iter', meaning a journey or way, which traces back to the verb 'ire', meaning 'to go'.
Word relationships
- schedule: A schedule can apply to any event or daily routine, whereas an itinerary is strictly for travel and journeys.
- agenda: An agenda is a list of items to be discussed or done, usually in a meeting, while an itinerary maps out physical travel plans.
- disorganization: Disorganization is the complete lack of planning or structure, whereas an itinerary is highly structured.
Commonly confused with
- route: A route is the physical path or road taken, while an itinerary includes the schedule, times, and stops along that path.
Word family
- itinerant (adjective): Traveling from place to place, especially for work.
- itinerate (verb): To travel from place to place, especially to perform a duty.
Collocations
- detailed itinerary
- travel itinerary
- planned itinerary
- follow an itinerary
Example sentences
- "The travel agent handed us a detailed itinerary that listed every flight, hotel, and scheduled tour." A travel agent discussing a trip
- "In his journal, the explorer kept a meticulous itinerary of their progress through the uncharted valley." A historical travelogue
Memory hook
Think of 'I tin er ary' as 'I tin (can) er (err) ary (anywhere)'—but with a plan, you won't err or wander aimlessly with your tin can! An itinerary keeps your journey on track.
When not to use
Do not use when referring to a simple map or a random, unplanned wander.
Fun facts
- In ancient Rome, an 'itinerarium' was often a simple list of cities and the distances between them, rather than a map with drawings.
Related words
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