Expedition

/ˌɛkspəˈdɪʃən/ noun

Definition

A journey made for a particular purpose, especially exploration, research, or war, usually by a group of people. It can also mean doing something quickly and efficiently.

Etymology

From Latin *expeditio* meaning ‘a setting forth, military campaign’, from *expedire* ‘to make ready, prepare’. *Ex-* (‘out’) and *pes, ped-* (‘foot’) originally suggested freeing the feet from chains to move quickly.

Kelly Says

The word hides a cool image: an expedition is what you do once your feet are literally ‘unshackled’ and ready to move. Even today, an expedition feels like more than a trip—it’s a mission with boots-on-the-ground purpose.

Translations

AMአማርኛ
ጉዞ (guzō)
goo-zoh
ARالعربية
بعثة (ba'ithah)
ba-ith-ah
BNবাংলা
যাত্রা (yatra)
ya-tra
CACatalà
expedició
ek-spe-dee-tsi-o
CSČeština
expedice
ek-spe-dee-tse
DADansk
ekspedition
ek-spe-dee-shon
DEDeutsch
Expedition
ek-spe-di-tion
ELΕλληνικά
εξπενδίτιο (ekspendítio)
ek-spen-dee-tio
ESEspañol
expedición
ex-pe-di-thee-on
FAفارسی
مأموریت (mamūriyat)
ma-moo-ri-yat
FISuomi
expediitio
ek-spe-dee-tio
FRFrançais
expédition
ek-spe-dee-syon
GUGU
યાત્રા (yātrā)
ya-tra
HAHA
safar
sa-far
HEעברית
משלחת (mishlachta)
mis-lach-ta
HIहिन्दी
समुद्रयात्रा (samudrayatra)
sa-mu-dra-ya-tra
HUMagyar
expedíció
ek-spe-dee-tsi-o
IDBahasa Indonesia
ekspedisi
ek-spe-di-si
IGIG
ihe n'eme
ee-he n'eme
ITItaliano
spedizione
spe-di-tsio-ne
JA日本語
遠征 (en-sei)
en-sei
KKKK
жондыру (jondyru)
jon-dy-ru
KMKM
កម្មវិធី (kammvithi)
kam-mvi-thee
KO한국어
expedition
ek-spe-di-shon
MRMR
प्रवास (pravās)
pra-vaas
MSBahasa Melayu
ekspedisi
ek-spe-di-si
MYမြန်မာ
လမ်းကြောင်း (lam-kyawng)
lam-kya-ng
NLNederlands
expeditie
ek-spe-dee-tie
NONorsk
ekspedisjon
ek-spe-dee-shon
PAPA
ਯਾਤਰਾ (yātrā)
ya-tra
PLPolski
ekspedycja
ek-spe-dych-ya
PTPortuguês
expedição
ex-pe-dee-sāo
RORomână
expediție
ek-spe-dee-thee
RUРусский
экспедиция (ekspeditsiya)
ek-spe-di-tsi-ya
SVSvenska
expedition
ek-spe-dee-shon
SWKiswahili
safari
sa-fa-ri
TAதமிழ்
சேவையின் (sēvaiyin)
se-vai-yin
TEతెలుగు
యాత్ర (yātra)
ya-tra
THไทย
ภารกิจ (phārakits)
bah-ra-kit
TLTL
ekspetisyon
ek-spe-ti-syon
TRTürkçe
sefer
se-fer
UKУкраїнська
експедиція (ekspetsiyiya)
ek-spe-tsi-yi-ya
URاردو
مہم (maham)
ma-ham
VITiếng Việt
chiến dịch
chien dich
YOYO
ṣẹẹ
sheh
ZH中文
远征 (yuǎn zhēng)
yuan zheng
ZUZU
isivakashi
ee-si-va-ka-shee

Ethical Language Guidance

Gender History

Historical narratives of expeditions—polar, colonial, scientific—have often centered male explorers and erased women’s roles as scientists, funders, organizers, and local guides. Women’s participation was frequently minimized or framed as exceptional even when they played key logistical and research roles.

Inclusive Usage

When referring to expeditions, include women and local experts in accounts where they were present, and avoid assuming explorers were all men unless historically accurate and documented.

Inclusive Alternatives

["journey","mission","research trip"]

Empowerment Note

Women such as botanist Jeanne Baret, mountaineer Junko Tabei, and many unnamed indigenous women guides made crucial contributions to exploration and field science; recognizing them counters male‑only expedition myths.

Related Words

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