wanderlust

noun

wan·​der·​lust ˈwän-dər-ˌləst 

: strong longing for or impulse toward wandering

Did you know?

Wanderlust Has German Roots

"For my part," writes Robert Louis Stevenson in Travels with a Donkey, "I travel not to go anywhere, but to go. I travel for travel's sake. The great affair is to move." Sounds like a case of wanderlust if we ever heard one. Those with wanderlust don't necessarily need to go anywhere in particular; they just don't care to stay in one spot. The etymology of wanderlust is a very simple one that you can probably figure out yourself. Wanderlust is a lust for wandering. The word comes from German, in which wandern means "to hike or roam about," and Lust means "pleasure or delight."

Examples of wanderlust in a Sentence

Wanderlust has led him to many different parts of the world.

Recent Examples on the Web

Thailand, in particular, is seeing a surge in popularity thanks to the success of shows like The White Lotus, which has sparked wanderlust for the country’s beaches and bustling cities. —Caroline Tell, Forbes, 8 Jan. 2025

As a travel editor with a frequent case of wanderlust, my vacation bucket list is seemingly never ending. —Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 28 Dec. 2024

In Central and Latin America, those with wanderlust take a stroll with their luggage around the block or put their suitcases in the middle of a room for others to walk around, which is considered a way of attracting good travel for the year ahead. —Gia Yetikyel, Vogue, 21 Dec. 2024

Siege of Dawn may lead with skull-piercing combat, but what lingers in the mind is its undeniable and unusual approach to cultivating wanderlust. —Lewis Gordon, Vulture, 5 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

German, from wandern to wander + Lust desire, pleasure

First Known Use

1875, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

wanderlust

noun

wan·​der·​lust ˈwän-dər-ˌləst 

: strong longing to travel