camp
A2Neutral
Definition
Meaning
A place with temporary accommodation, often in tents or simple buildings, used for outdoor recreation, military purposes, or for groups with a shared activity.
1) An area for temporary lodging (construction workers, refugees). 2) A group's shared ideology or allegiance (political camp). 3) A style emphasizing artificiality, theatricality, and exaggerated aesthetics for humorous or subversive effect.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The word spans concrete (a physical place) to abstract (a stylistic or ideological alignment). The 'aesthetic/style' meaning derives from 20th-century theatrical and queer subculture.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Minor. 'Summer camp' is a strongly established cultural concept in the US. The verb 'to camp' (to stay in a tent) is slightly more common in UK leisure contexts.
Connotations
UK: Often associated with scouting, festivals, or temporary settlements. US: Strongly evokes structured children's summer camps as a cultural institution.
Frequency
Comparably high frequency in both varieties.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[V] We camped in the valley.[V + Adv/Prep] They camped by the lake.[VN] The army camped its troops on the ridge.Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “pitch camp”
- “strike camp”
- “a happy camper (contented person)”
- “caught in the crossfire between two camps”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Rare, except in metaphors: 'We're in the same camp on this issue.'
Academic
Used in history, sociology (e.g., 'prisoner of war camps', 'ideological camps').
Everyday
Very common for holidays, outdoor activities, and group affiliations.
Technical
Used in geology/archaeology ('flint knapping camp'), military science.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- We plan to camp in the Lake District next weekend.
- Protesters have camped outside the council offices.
American English
- They're going to camp in Yellowstone for a week.
- The kids love camping in the backyard.
adverb
British English
- They played the villain very camp, with a theatrical flourish.
American English
- She dresses camp, with lots of sequins and feathers.
adjective
British English
- He brought a camp stove for the trip.
- The camp style of the performance was delightfully over-the-top.
American English
- We need camp chairs for the fire pit.
- Her sense of humour is very camp.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The children went to a summer camp.
- We will camp near the river.
- After the earthquake, people lived in a temporary camp.
- Which political camp do your views align with?
- The film's aesthetic is deliberately camp, celebrating old Hollywood glamour.
- The expedition established a base camp at 5,000 metres.
- His analysis places the philosopher firmly in the postmodernist camp.
- The protest encampment was dismantled by authorities at dawn.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a CAMera capturing a Picture of your temporary tent CAMp.
Conceptual Metaphor
LIFE IS A JOURNEY WITH TEMPORARY STOPS ('making camp'), IDEAS ARE PLACES ('belonging to a camp'), ARTIFICIALITY IS A DEFENCE ('camp as a style').
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid using 'camp' for a permanent 'лагерь' like a Soviet-era pioneer camp; 'recreation center' or 'summer camp' is better. The aesthetic meaning ('camp') has no direct Russian equivalent; it's often paraphrased.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'camping' to mean 'hiking' (hiking may involve camping, but they are distinct). Confusing 'camp' (n.) with 'campus' (university grounds).
Practice
Quiz
Which use of 'camp' is an example of its aesthetic meaning?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, its core meaning involves temporary lodging, which often uses tents, but it can refer to any temporary structured settlement (e.g., refugee camp, construction camp). It also has abstract meanings related to style and ideology.
'Camp' is the general place where people stay temporarily. 'Campsite' (or 'campground') specifically refers to an area designated or equipped for camping, often with facilities.
It originated in early 20th-century theatrical and homosexual subcultures, describing a knowingly artificial, theatrical style. It was popularized by critic Susan Sontag's 1964 essay 'Notes on Camp'.
Yes, it can mean to occupy a place temporarily, often for protest or out of necessity (e.g., 'reporters camped outside the courthouse'). It also has a slang meaning related to behaving in an exaggerated, camp style.
Explore