wanderlust
/ˈwɒndəlʌst/
a strong, restless desire to travel and explore the world
wanderlust in a sentence
“One photo of the coast was enough to reignite his wanderlust.”
Origin of wanderlust
German Wandern to hike + Lust desire
What does wanderlust really mean?
Wanderlust is the itch to be elsewhere — a restless, recurring pull toward travel and unfamiliar places. It describes a disposition rather than a plan: people with wanderlust aren't drawn to a destination so much as to motion itself.
The story behind wanderlust
German, from wandern (to hike or roam) and Lust (desire or pleasure). English borrowed it around the turn of the 20th century, when Romantic-era walking culture and the new possibility of mass travel made the feeling widely nameable.
How to use wanderlust
Use it as an uncountable noun: "gripped by wanderlust," "a lifetime of wanderlust." It suits travel writing and self-description, and has survived heavy social-media use better than most words — though pairing it with a passport photo is now a cliché.
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