caravan
/ˈkæɹəvæn/
Word Rarity
Rare
Frequency: 3.62 in modern English
12
Scrabble Score
7
Letters
3
Syllables
5
Unique Chars
Meaning
noun
A convoy or procession of travellers, their cargo and vehicles, and any pack animals, especially camels crossing a desert.
noun
A furnished vehicle towed behind a car, etc., and used as a dwelling when stationary.
Australian usage; New Zealand usage; British usage
noun
A group of camels, especially when used as beasts of burden carrying people and merchandise.
verb
To travel in a caravan (procession).
Example Sentences
- "To the left the caravan animals, securely picketed, at regular distances of some fifteen yards apart, occupied an area of several acres."
- "“Would they could have foretold that my caravan would have been cut up by the Shinwaris almost within shadow of the Pass!” grunted the Eusufzai agent of a Rajputana trading-house whose goods had been feloniously diverted into the hands of other robbers just across the Border, and whose misfortunes were the laughing-stock of the bazar. “Ohé, priest, whence come you and whither do you go?”"
- "Camel caravans, and courageous teamsters opened regular carrying businesses between Southern Cross and Coolgardie, while coaches began to run over the desert."
- "The caravan of skilled and experienced designers, tunnellers and builders follows these projects around the world."
- "An Italian woman, twenty years of age, […] was travelling in a caravan with the baggage of the Duke of Wellington's army, in the middle of the night, in a violent storm, while she was fast asleep, a small monkey with a long chain upon the roof of the caravan took refuge in it […]"
- "The caravans were the demarcation between the non-radioactive areas and the radioactive areas. There were two main caravans, one for people going into the forward area, and the other caravan was for people returning."
Etymology
From Middle French caravane, from Old French carvane, from Persian کاروان (kârvân), from Middle Persian kʾlwʾn' (kārawān), from Old Persian 𐎣𐎠𐎼 (k-a-r, “people, subjects”). The word was used to designate a group of people who were travelling by camel or horse on the Silk Road. Doublet of Kairouan.
Origin
Word Breakdown
- Root: caravane, carvane, کاروان, kʾlwʾn', 𐎣𐎠𐎼
Usage
- Australian usage
- New Zealand usage
- British usage
Inflected Forms
Derived Forms
Phrases
caravan city
caravan-like
caravan park
caravan parker
caravan site
motor caravan
motor-caravan
static caravan