# backpacker

/ˈbækˌpækɝ/ (US) · /bˈækpækɐ/ (UK) · CEFR B1 · Noun

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/backpacker
Updated: 2026-10-16

## Definition

a person who travels with everything in a backpack, usually cheaply and for a long time. You often meet them in hostels or on night buses.

For teachers: a traveller who carries all belongings in a backpack, typically travelling cheaply over an extended period and staying in hostels or other low-cost lodging.

## Examples

- The young backpacker sleeps in cheap hostels every night.
- The backpacker arrives late and asks the hostel staff for the cheapest walking tour in town.
- The seasoned backpacker navigates border crossings with practised ease, trading stories and tips with fellow travellers met along the mountain route.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.