Campi

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A term used to refer to multiple fields or open spaces, particularly in relation to outdoor activities or recreational areas
2. Usually denotes various locations characterized by sprawling areas often utilized for sports or gatherings
3. Refers to several grounds or lands, often associated with educational institutions or public events

Etymology: Campi is the plural of "campus", so its history is really the history of that Latin word. "Campus" meant an open field or plain in Latin, and the plural "campi" referred to several such open grounds. English took "campus" as a singular noun, and the plural "campuses" is the form most speakers use today, so "campi" is mainly found in Latin texts and in the occasional scholarly or Latinate phrasing. The Latin root gave English a striking shift. The word's original sense was a flat, open stretch of land, and only later, through the idea of an open area set aside for activity, did it come to name the grounds of a school or university. Modern usage has extended this further: the word now also covers the sprawling sites of colleges and corporations, and even the grounds where public events are held.

Synonyms: field, campus