expedition
Journey with purpose
An expedition is a journey undertaken for a specific purpose, especially exploration, research, or military action: a polar expedition, a scientific expedition to the Amazon.
The word also refers to the group making such a journey: The expedition set out at dawn.
By extension, expedition can describe any organized outing: a shopping expedition.
The formal noun expedience shares a root but has diverged in meaning.
Seeking journey for something
- odysseyExtended adventurous journey
- safariWildlife observation journey
- thrillSurge of intense excitement
- challengeTest of ability
conquest · endurance · peril · risk · survival · daring · intrepid · heroic
One who investigates unfamiliar regions
- discoveryAct of finding something
- unchartedNot yet documented
- frontierEdge of settlement
- territoryLand under jurisdiction
mapping · reconnaissance · pathfinder · trailblazer · scout · survey · charting · unknown
Systematic fact-finding effort
- fieldworkResearch conducted on location
- specimenIndividual for examination
- collectionGathered set of items
- documentationWritten proof or instructions
observation · ethnography · archaeological · geological · botanical · zoological · paleontological · naturalist
Organized effort toward goal
- missionPurpose-driven task
- troopsMilitary personnel collectively
- battalionMid-sized military unit
- regimentColonel-led military unit
convoy · logistics · supplies · provisions · reinforcements · advance · march · offensive
Peak or diplomatic gathering
- ascentUpward movement
- climbingAscending by physical effort
- sherpaNavigator through difficulty
- basecampExpedition's operational center
bivouac · alpinism · ridge · peak · altitude · acclimatization · porters · ropes
Journey by sea
- shipSeagoing transport vessel
- sailShip's wind-catching fabric
- seafarerOne who navigates oceans
- navigatorRoute-directing crew member
nautical · captain · crew · vessel · charting · provisions · scurvy · mutiny
Person inhabiting new territory
- conquistadorSpanish colonial soldier-explorer
- settlerOne who colonizes territory
- emigrantPerson resettling in another nation
- pilgrimageReligious journey to shrine
caravan · goldrush · prospector · homesteader · trapper · polo · colonial · imperial
quest
Seeking journey for something
- odysseyExtended adventurous journey
- safariWildlife observation journey
- thrillSurge of intense excitement
challenge · conquest · endurance · peril · risk · survival · daring · intrepid · heroic · epic
explorer
One who investigates unfamiliar regions
territory · mapping · reconnaissance · pathfinder · trailblazer · scout · survey · charting · unknown · wilderness
research
Systematic fact-finding effort
- fieldworkResearch conducted on location
- specimenIndividual for examination
- collectionGathered set of items
documentation · observation · ethnography · archaeological · geological · botanical · zoological · paleontological · naturalist · sampling
campaign
Organized effort toward goal
regiment · convoy · logistics · supplies · provisions · reinforcements · advance · march · offensive · strategic
summit
Peak or diplomatic gathering
basecamp · bivouac · alpinism · ridge · peak · altitude · acclimatization · porters · ropes · crampon
voyage
Journey by sea
navigator · nautical · captain · crew · vessel · charting · provisions · scurvy · mutiny · landfall
colonist
Person inhabiting new territory
- conquistadorSpanish colonial soldier-explorer
- settlerOne who colonizes territory
- emigrantPerson resettling in another nation
pilgrimage · caravan · goldrush · prospector · homesteader · trapper · polo · colonial · imperial · conquest
- ExpeditionsArctic exploration, ocean exploration, Lewis and Clark, Endurance, Marco Polo
- exploratory venturesvoyage, safari, trek, quest, mission
- ExplorersColumbus, Christopher Columbus, Magellan, Cortez, Marco Polo
- frontierfrontier, pioneer, pioneers, settlers, settler
- historic travelGrand Tour, carriage, pilgrimages, wagon, Silk Road
- sea voyagesvoyage, sea voyages, crossing, ocean voyages, sea voyage
expeditionhomebound
Confined to one's residence
stay · sedentariness · stasis · remaining · settlement
- Ford ExpeditionFull-size sport utility vehicle
- mountain expeditionsJourneys to scale peaks
- fishing expeditionOuting to catch aquatic creatures
- research expeditionsPlanned trips for discovery
- on a fishing expeditionSearching without specific target
- lost expedition
expeditious, expeditions, expediting, expeditiously, expeditionary, expeditiousness