# tourist

/ˈtʊɹəst/ (US) · /tˈɔːɹɪst/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/tourist
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. leisure traveller

noun · CEFR A1

someone who visits a place for pleasure or interest, rather than for work.

For teachers: a person who travels for recreation or culture, typically staying for a short period.

- The city is always full of tourists during the summer months.
- Local businesses rely heavily on the influx of international tourists who visit the historic district during the peak holiday season.

### 2. superficial participant

noun · CEFR C1 · Informal · Slang

someone who has only a shallow or temporary interest in a hobby or group.

For teachers: a person who engages with a subculture or community superficially without deep commitment or understanding.

- The long-time fans called him a tourist because he only liked the band's most famous song.
- In the coding community, he was dismissed as a tourist who only cared about the latest trends rather than the underlying architecture.

Teaching tip: This sense is often derogatory; it implies the person doesn't truly belong or hasn't 'earned' their place in the group.

### 3. visiting sports player

noun · CEFR B2 · British English · Informal

a member of a sports team that is travelling to play matches away from home.

For teachers: a member of a visiting athletic team, especially in the context of an international tour.

- The Australian tourists are playing a series of matches against the local team this month.
- The tourists struggled to adapt to the humid conditions during the first leg of their international cricket tour.

## Examples

- The city is full of tourists during the summer.
- The local museum offers guided tours in five different languages to accommodate every visiting tourist.
- While the economy relies heavily on the revenue generated by each visiting tourist, the local population often struggles with the seasonal inflation of housing and food prices.

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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.