camper

camper — noun

1. someone who sleeps and lives outdoors in a tent, cabin, or holiday camp for a fe

1.nounA2
Definition

someone who sleeps and lives outdoors in a tent, cabin, or holiday camp for a few days, usually as a form of recreation or vacation.

Example

The campers at Lake Wānaka started a campfire to toast marshmallows.

collocation: campers at [place]

Diego met several friendly campers while hiking along the mountain trail.

Common collocations
  • fellow camper
  • experienced camper
  • summer camper
  • camper and hiker
  • group of campers
  • fellow campers
Synonyms
  • hiker

    focuses on walking long distances, not necessarily sleeping outdoors

  • backpacker

    someone who carries all their gear on their back; often implies budget travel

  • holiday-maker

    general term for anyone on vacation, not limited to camping

Antonyms
  • indoor person

    someone who prefers staying inside; contrast is about lifestyle

Usage Note

Often used together with a location or an activity to describe what kind of camping the person is doing, e.g. 'summer campers', 'backcountry campers', 'first-time campers'. The related idiom 'not a happy camper' (see Idioms below) is always negated and informal.

Common Mistakes

He is a camper at work today.
He is a camper at the national park this weekend.
'camper' (person sense) only refers to someone sleeping outdoors or at a holiday camp, not to any temporary situation.
The campers are watching TV in their RV.
The campers set up their tents by the lake.
if they are in a motor vehicle, 'travellers' or 'holiday-makers' may be more natural.

2. a large motor vehicle that is built or fitted with beds, a kitchen area, and sto

2.nounB1
Definition

a large motor vehicle that is built or fitted with beds, a kitchen area, and storage, so people can travel and sleep in it, especially during a vacation.

Example

The Okafor family rented a camper and drove from Toronto to Vancouver over three weeks.

collocation: rent a camper + drive to [destination]

Leila parked the camper near a waterfall and cooked dinner inside the small kitchen.

Common collocations
  • drive a camper
  • rent a camper
  • park a camper
  • sleep in a camper
  • camper with a bathroom
  • small camper
  • camper van
Synonyms
  • motor home

    more common in British English; refers to the same type of self-driving vehicle

  • RV

    recreational vehicle; the broad North American term that covers both motorhomes and towed trailers

  • caravanette

    British term for a small motor home

Usage Note

In British English this vehicle is more commonly called a 'motor home' or 'motorhome'. In American English 'camper' or 'RV' (recreational vehicle) is standard. If the vehicle has an engine and is driven separately, this sense applies — for a towed vehicle, see Sense 3.

Common Mistakes

I bought a camper to park behind the house as extra storage.
I bought a camper to use as a mobile home when we travel.
a camper is designed for living and travelling, not for stationary storage.
She drove her camper van to work every day.
She drove her camper to the campsite for the weekend.
a camper (sense 2) is not designed as a daily commuter vehicle.
They pulled the camper behind their truck.
They pulled the travel trailer (or caravan) behind their truck.
a vehicle with no engine that is towed is a 'caravan' or 'travel trailer', not this sense of 'camper'.

3. a wheeled unit without its own motor, towed behind a car or truck and fitted wit

3.nounB2
Definition

a wheeled unit without its own motor, towed behind a car or truck and fitted with beds, cooking facilities, and living space for holidays and short breaks.

Example

Tomás hitched the camper to his car and drove toward the coast.

collocation: hitch a camper to [vehicle]

The rental camper sleeps four people and has a small gas stove inside.

Common collocations
  • towed camper
  • tow a camper
  • hitch a camper
  • pop-up camper
  • camper trailer
  • pull a camper
Synonyms
  • caravan

    the standard British term for a towed camper

  • travel trailer

    common American term with a broad range of sizes

  • pop-up camper

    a small folding model that expands when parked

  • fifth-wheel trailer

    a large towed camper that connects to a special hitch in a pickup truck bed

Usage Note

In British English the word 'caravan' is far more common than 'camper' for this type of towed vehicle. In American English 'camper', 'travel trailer', or simply 'trailer' are used. 'Pop-up camper' refers to a lightweight model whose roof folds down for towing and pops up when parked.

Common Mistakes

I drove the camper from London to Edinburgh.
I towed the camper from London to Edinburgh.
a towed camper has no engine, so you cannot 'drive' it; you 'tow' or 'pull' it.
The camper has a large engine that runs on diesel.
The motor home has a large engine
a towed camper has no engine at all.' — this sense requires no engine.
Idioms

not a happy camper

idiom

used informally to say that someone is very unhappy or annoyed about a situation they are in.

When the airline lost his luggage, Rohan was not a happy camper.

The teacher was not a happy camper when half the class forgot to bring their books.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

All four words describe people who are outdoors or travelling, but each focuses on a different activity and style. A 'camper' is someone who sleeps in a tent, cabin, or vehicle overnight — the key idea is staying somewhere, not just walking or being outdoors. A 'hiker' goes on long walks, usually on trails through nature, but may or may not stay overnight; many hikers return home the same day. 'Backpacker' overlaps with both: a backpacker carries everything on their back, often stays in hostels or cheap accommodation, and travels light and on a budget. 'Holiday-maker' is the broadest term — anyone on vacation, whether they camp, visit cities, or lie on a beach. So someone at a national park might be a camper (if they sleep in a tent), a hiker (if they walk the trails during the day), a backpacker (if they carry their gear and stay cheaply), or simply a holiday-maker (if they are on vacation).

camper ↗hikerbackpackerholiday-maker

Common collocations

Nouns

  • camper van
  • camper trailer
  • camping gear
  • camping trip
  • campsite

Phrases

  • go camping
  • set up camp
  • stay at a campsite
  • sleep in a camper
  • live in a camper
  • travel in a camper

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

The word 'camper' comes from 'camp' (a temporary outdoor shelter) which entered English in the 1500s from French 'camp', meaning an army encampment, and ultimately from Latin 'campus' (field or plain). The suffix '-er' was added to 'camp' in the mid-1800s to name a person who camps. The vehicle senses appeared later in the 1900s as mobile homes and recreational vehicles became popular, first referring to towed trailers and later to self-driving motor homes. The idiomatic phrase 'not a happy camper' emerged in American English around the 1960s and spread through popular usage.