Etymologically
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tourism

Etymology and origin of the English word tourism

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Confidence
Established
Formation
Derivation
First attested
1811

Pronunciation

  • IPA: /ˈtʊəɹɪzəm/, /ˈtɔːɹɪzəm/ (UK); /ˈtʊɹɪzəm/, /ˈtɝ.ɪszəm/ (US)[1]

Etymology

It is formed from tour and -ism.[2][3][4]

Earliest recorded meaning

The theory and practice of touring, travelling for pleasure: 1811.[2][5][3]

Semantic evolution

The OED says the word was originally usually disparaging, and the Century Dictionary (1891) marked it rare.[2] By 1930 it was widely used for the business of attracting tourists and providing them with accommodation and entertainment.[2][4] Tourification, touring, is attested by 1802.[2]

Timeline

  • 1802 – tourification.[2]
  • 1811 – tourism, travel for pleasure.[2][5]
  • 1930 – the tourist industry.[2]

Modern meaning

Noun

  1. Travelling for pleasure.
  2. The business of providing travel, accommodation and services for tourists, regarded as an industry.

Word family

References

  1. ^ Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  3. ^ a b Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary (2024), online ed., Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster
  4. ^ a b Shorter Oxford English Dictionary on Historical Principles (2002), 5th ed., ed. William R. Trumble and Angus Stevenson, Oxford: Oxford University Press
  5. ^ a b Simpson, J. A.; Weiner, E. S. C., eds. (1989), The Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Clarendon Press
Cite this entry

“Tourism.” Etymologically, 16 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/en/tourism. Accessed 16 Oct. 2026.

Last edited on . ·