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
Matt Kirouac, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 Mar. 2024
But Flynn's passion for the banjo, for being around music-minded people, for hiking in Ireland's woods − and crawling out on its precarious cliffs − rekindled the wanderlust in all of us.
—Lori Nickel, Journal Sentinel, 7 Mar. 2024
Wrap Up Whether running errands or walking red carpets, the wanderlust spirit of bohemian style can easily align with celebrity aesthetics.
—Hilary Tetenbaum, USA TODAY, 2 Jan. 2024
Before long, Sasha, in his forlorn wanderlust, has split up with Zakhar and fallen in with a fellow-Bolshevik named Stepan Kopionkin.
—Benjamin Kunkel, The New Yorker, 11 Mar. 2024
Travel has always been my North Star, and the anonymity of these wanderlust moments simply feels like a gentle, warm hug when the world closes in on you.
—Tenille Clarke, Essence, 21 Dec. 2023
Weekends are for indulging his wanderlust, hopping on a train or bus for a coastal or hilly hike in the foothills of the Pyrenees where Coe stays in cozy typical hostales.
—Cnn.com Wire Service, The Mercury News, 19 Jan. 2024
This year, everyone has some mind-expanding magic to look forward to, as 2024's astrology brings some special cosmic alignments that will encourage us to expand our horizons, indulge our wanderlust, and enjoy life to the fullest.
—Nina Kahn, Travel + Leisure, 2 Jan. 2024
Once spring rolls around, you’ll be hit with a wave of wanderlust, so this is a fabulous year to expand your horizons and prioritize international travel.
—Nina Kahn, Travel + Leisure, 2 Jan. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'wanderlust.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
German, from wandern to wander + Lust desire, pleasure
1875, in the meaning defined above
Podcast
Theme music by Joshua Stamper ©2006 New Jerusalem Music/ASCAP
Get Word of the Day delivered to your inbox!
Dictionary Entries Near wanderlust
Cite this Entry
“Wanderlust.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wanderlust. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.
Copy Citation
Kids Definition
wanderlust
noun
Share