Campervan

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A motor vehicle equipped with living accommodations for travel and camping ; a self-contained mobile home designed to provide shelter and basic amenities on the road ; a vehicle outfitted for temporary residence, allowing travel with sleeping, cooking, and storage facilities
2. A road vehicle adapted for recreational use with built-in sleeping quarters and cooking space ; a mobile dwelling equipped for travel comfort and camping purposes ; a transport means designed to serve as a temporary home away from home with essential living utilities
3. A motorized home designed to support overnight stays and outdoor travel with internal living facilities ; a camper-style vehicle combining transportation and accommodation features for vacations ; a portable residence on wheels providing a flexible, self-sufficient camping experience

Etymology: "Campervan" is a plain compound: "camper" plus "van." The "camper" half comes from the verb "camp," which in English has long meant to set up temporary living quarters outdoors, and the "-er" ending marks someone or something that does the camping. "Van" is a shortened form of "caravan," the older word for a horse-drawn or later motor-drawn living vehicle, and it is from that sense that the enclosed, box-like vehicle took its name. Put together, the word names a vehicle that carries its camping accommodation with it, so the sleeping and cooking quarters are built into the body rather than towed behind. The combination follows the same pattern as older terms that pair a function with a vehicle type, and it reflects the shift from pitching a tent to driving to the campsite with a bed already inside.

Synonyms: motorhome, RV, camper, caravan, camper truck

Antonyms: sedan, sedan car, motorcycle, bicycle, sports car