Backpacker Meaning
/bˈæˌkpækər/Definition, CEFR level B1, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
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Definition
nounA traveler whose luggage consists of a backpack; especially, such a traveler who uses hostels, public transport, and other inexpensive services.
nounA hostel offering accommodation for such people.
Sentence Examples
Tom is a backpacker.
The young backpacker traveled across Europe on a very tight budget.
CEFR Practice Quiz
The young ____ traveled through Southeast Asia with only a single bag.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The ____ traveled across the whole continent on a very tight budget.
Word Origin & History
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *bʰeg-der.? Proto-Germanic *baką Proto-West Germanic *bak Old English bæc Middle English bak English back English pack English backpack Proto-Indo-European *-yósder. Proto-Italic *-āzijos Latin -āriusnom. Latin -āriusbor. Proto-Germanic *-ārijaz Proto-West Germanic *-ārī Old English -ere Middle English -ere English -er English backpacker From backpack + -er.
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"Among the ah bengs and ah lians, the mats and the minahs, the young expats and the backpackers, he stood out like a dozen guys on a male-only dance floor singing Dancing Queen (I'll never forgive Blur for ruining my 21st birthday)."
— 2012 April 15, Neil Humphreys, “From Cool Dude to Sad Old Man”, in The New Paper, page 34:
"A decade ago, I was a backpacker entirely reliant on the railways as a means to see Britain, and with castles as my destination. Via trains alone, I was able to tick off nearly all of the castles that my English Heritage annual pass afforded me."
— 2022 January 12, Dr. Joseph Brennan, “Castles: ruined and redeemed by rail”, in RAIL, number 948, page 53:
"Eight staff members of a backpacker hostel in Laos have been detained by local authorities as they investigate the deaths of six foreign tourists from suspected methanol poisoning, according to state-affiliated media in the Southeast Asian country."
— 2024 November 27, Jessie Yeung and Isaac Yee, “Laos detains foreign hostel staff over backpacker methanol poisonings as families and travelers demand answers”, in CNN:
"Lots of pockets help with a commute, a storm hood is great if you get caught in a storm on a hike, weight and packability are essential for backpackers and if you’re a climber or biker, you’ll want a helmet-compatible hood."
— 2025 January 3, Kai Burkhardt, “The best rain jackets of 2025, tried and tested”, in CNN:
"We hardly ever stayed in backpackers as it was approximately double the cost of pitching a tent in a caravan park or nature reserve."
— 2016, Craig J, Tame the Ego Before It Tames the Soul:
Explore More B1 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
The young ____ traveled through Southeast Asia with only a single bag.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The ____ traveled across the whole continent on a very tight budget.