English Reference
noun · verb

vacation

n. · v.
US /veɪˈkeɪʃən/ UK /veɪkˈeɪʃən/ va·ca·tion UK spelling vacationed, vacationing, vacations

  1. 01 A2 Elementary American English

    n.a period when you do not have to go to work or school.

    n.a scheduled period during which regular work or educational duties are suspended.

    Simple

    The students are looking forward to their summer vacation after the final exams.

    In context

    The company policy allows employees to accrue two weeks of paid vacation for every year of continuous service.

  2. 02 B2 Upper Intermediate Formal Law

    n.a time when a court or university stops its normal business for a break.

    n.a formal recess or period during which the regular business of a university or a court of law is suspended.

    Simple

    The high court is currently in vacation and will not hear new cases until next month.

    In context

    During the long summer vacation, the university campus is largely deserted except for a few postgraduate researchers.

    recessadjournment
  3. 03 C1 Advanced Formal

    n.the act of moving out of a building or room.

    n.the act of leaving or surrendering occupancy of a physical space or position.

    Simple

    The landlord requested the vacation of the apartment by the end of the month.

    In context

    The sudden vacation of the office building left the city center with a significant amount of unleased commercial real estate.

  4. 04 C2 Proficiency TechnicalAmerican English Law

    n.the act of making a legal judgment or deal not valid anymore.

    n.the act of rendering a legal judgment, decree, or contract void or set aside.

    Simple

    The lawyer filed for a vacation of the previous court order due to new evidence.

    In context

    The appellate court's vacation of the lower court's ruling sent shockwaves through the local legal community.

    annulmentinvalidation
  5. 05 C1 Advanced Slang Computing

    n.a permanent ban from a gaming service for cheating.

    n.an enforced and often permanent exclusion from a gaming platform resulting from a violation of terms.

    Simple

    He got a vacation from the server after the moderators caught him using cheats.

    In context

    After the anti-cheat software detected unauthorized modifications, his account was handed a permanent vacation from the community forums.

  6. 06 B1 Intermediate American English

    v.to go somewhere for a holiday.

    v.to spend a period of time away from home for the purpose of recreation.

    Simple

    They usually vacation in the mountains during the winter to go skiing.

    In context

    The family chose to vacation in a remote coastal village to escape the noise and stress of the metropolitan area.

    Usage

    intransitive verb

Don't confuse

vacation vs holiday — Holiday is the standard British term for time away from work or school, while vacation is the preferred American equivalent.


Inherited from Middle English vacation, vacacion, vacacioun, from Anglo-Norman vacacioun, from Old French vacacion, vacation, from Latin vacātiō. Equivalent to vacate + -ion.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Origin Latin vacātiō
Level A1 · Beginner
Frequency Common
Updated