tourists - Master This Word
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tourists Word Meanings
- a person who travels for pleasure
- someone visiting a place for sightseeing
- a visitor to a city or region.
tourists Example Sentences
Example sentences are the start of understanding. Don't rush to memorize. First feel how the word works in a sentence.
tourists Phonetic & Pronunciation
UK
/ˈtʊərɪst/
US
/ˈtʊrɪst/
tourists Word Etymology
tourist = tour + -ist (one who), from Latin 'tornare' (to turn), originally referring to someone who travels around; think of a traveler taking turns exploring new places.
Note 1: These definitions and etymologies are not standard dictionary definitions, but extended explanations provided to help with memorization and understanding of the actual application of words. Through this background information, we strive to make words more vivid and easier to understand, and help you remember their meanings in real life.
Note 2: LexiTalk designs the learning flow around the linguistics principle of “Comprehensible Input.” When learners encounter material that is slightly above their level but still understandable from context, the brain naturally absorbs the language. That’s why we keep every word inside authentic contexts, using examples and associations to help you understand it and use it flexibly.
Read the FAQ explanation of Comprehensible InputEnglish Brain Route
I swing my backpack onto my shoulder and step into the buzzing street. I move past the market stalls, study a map, and shift my pace when the crowd swallows the sidewalk. I turn a corner, pull out my camera, and adjust the angle to catch a sunlit square. By the time I stop to breathe, the scene feels like a small lesson in being a tourist—watchful, curious, and ready to keep exploring.
Real Context
A tourist is someone who travels for pleasure or visits a place for sightseeing, typically staying a short time in a city or region. The term emphasizes the leisure aspect of travel and usually implies visiting popular sights, museums, shops, and restaurants. Tourists may stay in hotels, use guided tours, and seek information from tourist offices or maps. The word appears in phrases like tourist attraction, tourist information center, and tourist visa, and contrasts with terms like traveler or local resident. It is a countable noun: one tourist, many tourists. Pronunciation: /ˈtʊrɪst/. Learners often confuse tourist with traveler or confuse the plural forms.
Usage Reminders
- Remember: tourist = pleasure traveler visiting sights; avoid overgeneralizing to locals or expatriates. Use with attractions and services: tourist information, tourist visa. Plural form tourists. Pronunciation: first syllable stressed. Common collocations: tourist trap (used jokingly), tourist season. Distinguish from traveler when talking about itineraries. Respect local language variations in plural forms. Keep context clear: are they visiting or temporarily staying?
Common Misconceptions
- Tourist equals visitor or settler; it only refers to short-term visitors, not residents.
- Tourist always means staying in fancy hotels; many stay in budget accommodations.
- Tourist = traveler with the same goals; traveler may seek offbeat experiences.
- Tourist implies constant sightseeing; many are also locals visiting relatives.
- Tourist and tourism vocabulary always sounds formal; casual usage exists too.
Thinking Differences
For English learners, focus on the nuance that tourist often implies visiting well-known sights and staying briefly, whereas traveler can imply broader, more exploratory travel. Learners may default to 'tourist' for any non-local visitor, or misplace it with visitor or guest; clarify with context (sights, duration, purpose).
Learning Tips
- Learn common collocations: tourist attraction, tourist information center, tourist visa.
- Compare tourist with traveler to express different travel goals.
- Practice plurals: tourist, tourists.
- Use simple verbs with tourist (visit, explore, see).
- Watch pronunciation: stress on the first syllable.
- Apply in real contexts: ask for directions or recommendations.
Related Listening
🌱 Lite (Beginner)
🔥 Advanced
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