camping

camping — noun

1. the leisure activity of sleeping and living outdoors in a tent, camper van, or s

1.nounA2
Definition

the leisure activity of sleeping and living outdoors in a tent, camper van, or similar shelter, often for a vacation

Example

The Chen family go camping every summer in Yosemite National Park.

go + camping (activity verb pattern)

Leo packed the tent, sleeping bags, and cooking gear for their camping trip.

camping trip (noun + noun collocation)

Common collocations
  • go camping
  • camping trip
  • camping site
  • camping ground
  • camping gear
  • camping stove
  • camping holiday
  • winter camping
  • summer camping
Synonyms
  • backpacking

    implies carrying all gear on foot over long distances; more strenuous than car camping

  • glamping

    a modern blend of 'glamorous' and 'camping,' meaning camping with luxury accommodations like real beds and electricity

  • bivouacking

    a temporary, often improvised camp without full equipment, common in mountaineering; less common in everyday speech

Antonyms
  • hotel stay

    staying indoors with running water, electricity, and room service

  • city break

    a short holiday in an urban area, the opposite of a nature-focused trip

Grammar Patterns

go + camping

a camping trip / camping site / camping gear

camping + in/at/near [place]

Usage Note

Camping is an uncountable noun — you cannot say 'a camping' or 'campings.' Common fixed phrases: go camping, a camping trip, a camping site / campground, and camping gear (tent, sleeping bag, stove).

Common Mistakes

We bought a camping for the weekend.
We went camping for the weekend.
camping is an uncountable activity noun, not an event you can count.
I need a camping.
I need camping equipment.' or 'I need a tent.
camping by itself does not mean 'camping equipment.'

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Camping is the general term for spending time outdoors in a shelter such as a tent or camper van. Backpacking is a subtype of camping where you carry everything on your back and hike from place to place — more about the journey and self-sufficiency than a single base camp. Glamping borrows the idea of camping but adds luxury amenities like real beds, electricity, and private bathrooms; it is less rustic and far more expensive. Hiking is a day activity of walking on trails and is not camping unless you also sleep outdoors overnight. For example: 'We went camping at Lake Tahoe for three days.' vs 'We spent a week backpacking through the Sierra Nevada.' vs 'They tried glamping in a heated yurt with hot showers.' vs 'I went hiking on the coastal trail and returned home before dark.'

camping ↗backpackingglampinghiking ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

  • camping trip
  • camping site
  • camping ground
  • camping gear
  • camping stove
  • camping holiday
  • camping experience

Adverbs

Phrases

  • go camping
  • a spot of camping
  • a weekend of camping

Prepositions

  • for camping
  • camping in/at/near

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

Camping comes from the Latin word campus, meaning 'field' or 'open land.' This passed through French as camp ('a military encampment') and into English around the 1500s, where a camp meant a temporary outdoor shelter for soldiers. By the late 1800s, the verb to camp took on a recreational meaning as outdoor leisure became popular, giving rise to the noun camping for the activity itself.