excursion
noun
Did you know?
A Tribe Called Quest’s 1991 album The Low End Theory is not only widely regarded as one of the greatest hip-hop albums of all time, but one of the genre’s most successful early excursions into jazz, utilizing samples and even featuring legendary bassist Ron Carter on one song. Excursion refers to a usually brief, pleasurable trip, and is often used figuratively—as in the previous sentence—for metaphorical trips outside of one’s usual territory, be they artistic or otherwise. The word comes from the Latin verb excurrere (“to run out” or “to extend”), which combines the prefix ex- meaning “out of” and the verb currere meaning “to run.” Although it is sometimes used to refer to attacks or raids made against an enemy, as in “military excursions,” excursion is mostly used today for much more enjoyable jaunts, junkets, and rambles. Accordingly, on your next excursion, whether to the park, beach, or elsewhere, you could do worse than to queue up The Low End Theory on your playlist. The album’s first track, after all, is titled “Excursions.”
Examples of excursion in a Sentence
Condé Nast Traveler, 17 Feb. 2026
The Pampered Paws Program ups the ante with in-room dining, daily walks, a letter at arrival, leashes and collars, and the option to take excursions or be driven around by a chauffeur.
—Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 16 Feb. 2026
Newsom wrote that his mother seemed to begrudge the excursions when her children returned home.
—Taryn Luna, Los Angeles Times, 15 Feb. 2026
Growing up, his parents balanced their diet thanks to their hunting excursions.
—Stylecaster Editors, StyleCaster, 14 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for excursion
Cite this Entry
“Excursion.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/excursion. Accessed 18 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
excursion
noun
from Latin excursio, excursion- "a going out," from excurrere "to run out, make an excursion, extend," from ex- "out, forth" and currere "to run" — related to current
Medical Definition
excursion
noun
