expedition
- 01 B1 Intermediate
a long trip made by a group of people for a special reason, such as exploring or studying something.
an organized journey or voyage undertaken by a group of people with a definite objective, such as exploration, research, or a specific task.
Simple“The scientists went on an expedition to the Amazon to study rare birds.”
In context“The university funded a three-month archaeological expedition to Egypt in hopes of uncovering remains from the Middle Kingdom.”
UsageOften used with the verbs 'go on', 'lead', or 'organize'.
- 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
the group of people who are going on a special journey together.
a collective noun referring to the organized group of people participating in a specific journey or mission.
Simple“The expedition was forced to turn back when the weather became too dangerous.”
In context“After weeks of trekking through the jungle, the expedition finally reached the ruins of the ancient city.”
- 03 B2 Upper Intermediate
a journey made by soldiers to fight an enemy or reach a specific area.
a military enterprise or campaign conducted in a foreign territory or against an enemy.
Simple“The army sent a small expedition to secure the border before winter.”
In context“The naval expedition was launched with the primary objective of disrupting enemy supply lines along the coast.”
- 04 C2 Proficiency
doing something quickly and without wasting time.
the quality of being prompt or efficient in the execution of a task.
Simple“The manager handled the customer's complaint with great expedition.”
In context“The judge requested that the legal proceedings be carried out with all possible expedition to ensure a timely verdict.”
Teacher's tipThis sense is rare in modern conversation; learners will mostly encounter it in formal legal or historical texts.
From Middle French expédition, and its source, Latin expeditio.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.