One thing that all avid travelers have in common is the strong desire to see new places and soak up knowledge everywhere they go. Most adventurers are quick to describe this feeling as “wanderlust,” but this word isn’t fit for the wide range of emotions that travelers experience during their trips. In fact, even the English dictionary doesn’t have enough words to describe the full beauty of traveling!
However, digging into a multitude of other languages can uncover some of the most unique words that can perfectly articulate a life-changing vacation (and impress your friends!). Among the vast array of beautiful travel-related words, here are some of our favorite terms:
Boketto (v.)
Origin: Japanese
Definition: The act of gazing out into the distance with no thoughts.
Commuovere (v.)
Origin: Italian
Definition: Heartwarming; something that stirs and moves you.
Dépaysement (adj.)
Origin: French
Definition: The feeling that comes from not being in one’s own country; being out of your element, like a fish out of water.
Dérive (n.)
Origin: French
Definition: A spontaneous journey where the traveler leaves their life behind for a time to let the spirit of the landscape and architecture attract and move them.
Eudaimonia (n.)
Origin: Greek
Definition: The content, happy state you feel when you travel.
Fernweh (n.)
Origin: German
Definition: The feeling of being homesick for a place you’ve never been; a crave for travel.
Fika (n.)
Origin: Swedish
Definition: A moment to slow down and appreciate the little things in life; a coffee break with friends.
Flâneur (n.)
Origin: French
Definition: Someone who strolls aimlessly but enjoyably, observing life and the surroundings.
Hiraeth (n.)
Origin: Welsh
Definition: Homesickness for a home to which you cannot return, a home which maybe never was.
Hodophile (n.)
Origin: Greek
Definition: One who loves to travel.
Hygge (n.)
Origin: Danish
Definition: The cosy feeling you get while you’re enjoying the good things in life with friends.
Livsnjutare (n.)
Origin: Swedish
Definition: Someone who loves deeply loves life and lives it to the extreme.
Nefelibata (n.)
Origin: Portuguese
Definition: One who lives in the clouds of their own imagination; an unconventional person.
Novaturient (adj.)
Origin: German
Definition: A desire to alter your life; the feeling that pushes you to travel
Peripatetic (n.)
Origin: Greek
Definition: A person who spends all their time wandering.
Quaquaversal (adj.)
Origin: Latin
Definition: Moving or happening in every direction all at once.
Querencia (adj.)
Origin: Spanish
Definition: A place where one feels safe; a place where one feels at home.
Resfeber (n.)
Origin: Swedish
Definition: The restless race of the traveler’s heart before the journey begins, when anxiety and anticipation are tangled together.
Saudade (n.)
Origin: Portuguese
Definition: Nostalgia and the love that remains; a desire to be near to something or someone distant.
Schwellenangst (n.)
Origin: German
Definition: Fear of crossing a threshold to embark on something new.
Sehnsucht (n.)
Origin: German
Definition: A wistful longing and yearning in the heart for travels that have been and travels to come.
Smultroställe (n.)
Origin: Swedish
Definition: A special place discovered, treasured, returned to for solace and relaxation; a personal idyll free from stress and sadness.
Solivagant (n.)
Origin: Latin
Definition: One who travels alone; A solitary adventurer who wanders the globe.
Sonder (n.)
Origin: French
Definition: The realization that each random passer-by is living a life as vivid and complex as your own.
Strikhedonia (n.)
Origin: Greek
Definition: The joy of being able to say “to hell with it”.
Trouvaille (n.)
Origin: French
Definition: Something lovely discovered by chance.
Vagary (n.)
Origin: Latin
Definition: An unpredictable instance, a wandering journey; a whimsical, wild or unusual idea, desire, or action.
Vorfreude (n.)
Origin: German
Definition: The joyful, intense anticipation that comes from imagining future pleasures.
Vuslat (n.)
Origin: Turkish
Definition: A union or reunion after being apart for a long time with one’s beloved.
Yoko meshi (n.)
Origin: Japanese
Definition: The stress of speaking a foreign language.
Yūgen (n.)
Origin: Japanese
Definition: An awareness of the universe that triggers emotional responses too deep and mysterious for words.
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