Outdoor fires built in a circle for warmth, cooking, or gathering together, typically made from logs or branches.
From Middle English 'campe' (from Old French 'camp') combined with 'fire' (from Old English 'fȳr'). The compound emerged in English around the 16th century as camping became more common, literally meaning 'fires at camp.'
Campfires are one of humanity's oldest social technologies—archaeological evidence shows humans gathered around fires 400,000 years ago, and campfires today trigger the same bonding neurochemistry that made our ancestors cooperate better. That's why stories told around campfires feel so special; your brain is responding to ancient instincts.
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.