Definitions
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
- n. A very strong or irresistible impulse to travel.
Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia
- n. A natural impulse to change of place; a craze for travel.
Wiktionary
WordNet 3.0
- n. very strong or irresistible impulse to travel
Etymologies
- 1902, from German Wanderlust ("desire for wandering"), compound of Wander (noun form of wandern ("to wander")) and Lust ("pleasure, joy"). (Wiktionary)
- German : wandern, to wander (from Middle High German) + Lust, desire (from Middle High German, from Old High German; see las- in Indo-European roots). (American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition)
Examples
“Her inspiration for the wanderlust is a string of beads called japa malas which contain 108 beads.”
“As I have posted before from the days of H. habilis (and some would argue afarensis) 'wanderlust' is built into our genes and thus we have spread not only into every habitable niche but the uninhabitable ones too.”
Wayne Hale's NASA Blog: Why Climb the Highest Mountain? - NASA Watch
“In spite of the fears, the wanderlust is still there.”
“But I can barely be in our apartment for more than 30 minutes before my wanderlust is gnawing at me again to get myself back outside.”
“Your parents have what's called wanderlust," she had explained to Paige, who thirty-three years later remembered every word of that conversation.”
“SS: I feel like the term "wanderlust" kind of encompasses my life.”
“I wanted to say that everyone has that "wanderlust" and all they have to do is act on their dreams before they are convinced by their friends or parents to do what's normal.”
“And I would agree that now is a better time to be experiencing "wanderlust" than, say, when I have a wife, mortgage, and a couple little kids or something along those lines.”
“I've gotten the crazy idea into my head to do 100% travel, if only to get the whole "wanderlust" thing out of my head.”
“Speaking of getting away from computers, and getting away, in general…my wanderlust is the worst it’s been in ages.”
Lists
These user-created lists contain the word ‘wanderlust’.
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Test Prep or Just for fun
Building a list for standardized test prep or just for learning some new words! Please add any words that you feel are important for the SAT/GRE/GMAT etc...
throng, morass, parley, facile, kismet, strife, jetsam, carrion, annex, harbinger, vestige, surreptitious and 575 more...
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Realia from Everywhere
Culturally defined terms and expressions from the four corners of the world
fjord, mistral steppe, tornado, tsunami, polder, kiwi, koala, sequoia, Abominable Snowman, paprika, spaghetti, empanada and 299 more...
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Steampunk
Words used quite often in steampunk
ansible, airship, chymical, valve, clockwork, dirigible, thaumaturgy, copper, bronze, difference engine, gear, rivets and 516 more...
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March 2012
panache, evanescent, erogenous, vestibule, malfeasance, lacuna, blithering, incubate, breech, tabernacle, pearly, upholstery and 79 more...
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Words I would use improperly
Words you could as a different meaning, but an intellectual could not follow the conversation
fireboard, grayish-pink, comely, slipstream, bulb, zombie bank, sexting, funemployed, boondoggle, dill overkill, devil-dodger, yangban and 5 more...
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Pursue bliss
Words for those who believe everyday should be your day in the sun. Follow your bliss!
Bon vivant, frabjous, Joseph Campbell, bel esprit, esthete, elegantiarum, grammaticaster, jouissance, surplus-jouissance, elysian, thaumazein, mirabile dictu and 61 more...
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Twitter favourites
The new favourite words of people on Twitter.
A script searches Twitter for "X is my new favourite word" and adds it to this list.
See also:
bumwank, calamity, recalcitrant, gayenese, jeeze, nonsense, flabbergasted, juxtapose, procrastinating, ossanity, biffing, loser and 1972 more... -
Twitter favorites
The new favourite words of people on Twitter.
A script searches Twitter for "X is my new favorite word" and adds it to this list.
See also:
unfathomably, glice, cuh, fab, ciggaty, doll, thuggin, oxymoronic, pineapple, succubutt, griming, cheeky and 2369 more... -
Words I Know
List of most of the words I've learned
garner, abase, abate, abdicate, abduct, aberration, abet, abhor, abide, abject, abjure, abnegation and 1046 more...
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List Erine
cool mint antiseptic
shalom, cattywampus, bourgeoisie, aerophile, traverse, grotto, epicurean, ex cathedra, nautilus, epitaph, lathe, continuum and 753 more...
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ADW1
obdurate, obstinate, behest, injunction, enjoin, circumspect, ensconce, discursive, lugubrious, doleful, somber, ken and 2476 more...
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Misc. Words.
Words I like to use, words I like but may forget.
corrosion, astonish, solace, ferment, continuum, kinesthetic, permeate, repose, caprice, cardinal, discourse, surrender and 610 more...
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Big Book #2 List
absolution, restitution, contrition, moratorium, nautical, nirvana, pandemonium, perennial, symposium, dialectic, dipsomaniacal, ecumenical and 117 more...
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just words.
coquette, solecism, peripherally, recrudescence, viscid, turpitude, sententious, light-heeled, interminably, unflappable, palpably, solicitous and 215 more...
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Words of Whimsy & Grace
abecedary, addendum, ampersand, anachronism, avuncular, balderdash, barnacle, befuddle, behemoth, bejeebers, blabbermouth, blatherskite and 465 more...
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Favourite Words
sanguine, irk, pith, venerate, anomaly, reprobate, ethereal, antediluvian, obfuscate, wistful, plethora, absinthe and 108 more...
Tweets
Looking for tweets for wanderlust.
wordlover42 This word's one of my favorites. It was on one of the lists I studied for spelling, and I took a liking to it. Jun 20, 2009
brusselsprouts Up there on my list of favourites.... Jan 27, 2008
andrew.simone I certainly possess it. Dec 6, 2006