campfire

campfire — noun

1. A fire that people build outside while camping or spending time in nature, used

1.nounA2
Definition

A fire that people build outside while camping or spending time in nature, used to provide warmth, cook food, or gather around for company.

Example

The scouts built a large campfire before the sun went down behind the hills.

collocation: build + campfire

Ravi and his dad sat around the campfire, roasting marshmallows on long sticks.

collocation: sit around + campfire

Synonyms
  • bonfire

    a larger outdoor fire, often for celebration rather than camping

  • camp stove

    a portable cooking device used outdoors, not a real fire

Antonyms
  • fireplace

    an indoor structure for fire, attached to a building

Usage Note

Campfire is a countable noun. It commonly appears in set phrases such as 'build a campfire,' 'sit around the campfire,' and 'campfire stories.' Do not use 'campfire' for an indoor fire (use 'fireplace') or for a very large celebratory fire (use 'bonfire').

Common Mistakes

We lit a campfire in the living room.
We lit a campfire in the backyard.
A campfire is always outdoors; use 'fireplace' for indoor fires.
There was a huge campfire at the New Year party.
There was a huge bonfire at the New Year party.
A 'bonfire' is a large controlled fire for celebration; a 'campfire' is smaller and associated with camping.

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Campfire, bonfire, and fireplace all refer to fires used for warmth or socializing, but they differ in location, size, and purpose. A campfire is a small-to-medium outdoor fire built during camping activities — used for cooking, warmth, and storytelling around. A bonfire is a much larger outdoor fire, usually built for celebrations, festivals, or community events, and is not typically used for cooking. A fireplace is a fixed indoor structure made of brick or stone, found in homes, used for heating a room. For example: 'We made a campfire to cook dinner while camping.' vs 'The town held a huge bonfire on New Year's Eve.' vs 'She sat by the fireplace reading a book.'

campfire ↗bonfire ↗fireplace ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Phrases

  • build a campfire
  • sit around the campfire
  • gather around the campfire
  • tell stories by the campfire
  • put out the campfire

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinOld EnglishEnglish

Campfire is a compound word formed from camp (from Latin campus, meaning 'field' or 'open ground') and fire (from Old English fyr, meaning 'the active principle of burning'). The word has been in use since the early 1500s, originally referring to any outdoor fire at an encampment.