tourist

noun

tour·​ist ˈtu̇r-ist How to pronounce tourist (audio)
1
: one that makes a tour for pleasure or culture
2
tourist adjective or adverb

Examples of tourist in a Sentence

The museums attract a lot of tourists. In the summer the town is filled with tourists. The tourists defeated the home side.
Recent Examples on the Web But proponents argued that this is needed for a city that lacks affordable housing, and where business owners say no one wants to work to service a steady stream of tourists. Ben Brasch, Washington Post, 19 Mar. 2024 One day, Thomas’ quiet life is upended when his research finds potentially fatal bacteria in the public baths, which draw flocks of tourists for their medicinal properties. Patrick Ryan, USA TODAY, 19 Mar. 2024 Some 100,000 tourists are expected to converge on the continent this summer, a devastating toll for a fragile ecosystem. Elizabeth Buchanan, Foreign Affairs, 18 Mar. 2024 But this new generation of tourists wants something else from their travel. Lionel Lim, Fortune Asia, 15 Mar. 2024 Some health experts warn that the data do not bode well for the West Coast’s culinary capital, which is likely to see demand only grow in the coming years, with the 2028 Olympics bringing a deluge of new food trucks and eateries to serve the influx of tourists. Rebecca Ellis, Los Angeles Times, 15 Mar. 2024 In total, about 30,000 people live on the islands and about 170,000 tourists visit each year, according to UNESCO. Alison Fox, Travel + Leisure, 15 Mar. 2024 The upgrades will help the tourism bureau book bigger events, which will bring tourists and all their spending to the region. Scott Wartman, The Enquirer, 7 Mar. 2024 The plan will help bring more tourists and tax revenue to the city. Phillip Molnar, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'tourist.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1775, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of tourist was in 1775

Dictionary Entries Near tourist

Cite this Entry

“Tourist.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tourist. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

tourist

noun
tour·​ist ˈtu̇r-əst How to pronounce tourist (audio)
: a person who travels for pleasure
tourist adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on tourist

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