vacation
UK: vəˈkeɪʃ(ə)n | US: veɪˈkeɪʃ(ə)n
n. a period of time devoted to pleasure, rest, or relaxation, especially one with pay granted to an employee
n. the act of leaving one's job, home, or usual activity temporarily for rest or travel
v. (archaic) to take or spend a vacation
vacation = vac<empty/free> + ation<noun suffix>
- vac (from Latin vacare, meaning "to be empty, free, or at leisure")
- ation (a suffix forming nouns indicating an action or state, from Latin -atio)
Etymology Origin:
The word "vacation" traces back to the Latin vacatio, meaning "freedom from duty" or "leisure." The root vac- reflects the idea of being "empty" or "free" from obligations, which evolved into the modern concept of taking time off for rest or travel. The suffix -ation solidifies it as a noun denoting the state or act of being free. Over time, the term shifted from its original sense of "release from duties" (e.g., judicial or academic breaks) to the broader idea of recreational time off.
We planned a two-week vacation to Hawaii.
Employees are entitled to 20 days of paid vacation per year.
The school closes for summer vacation in July.
She decided to vacation in Europe after retiring.
The term "vacation" originally referred to a period of legal or academic recess.