grand tour: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1Formal, historical, literary
Quick answer
What does “grand tour” mean?
An extended travel journey through multiple European countries, traditionally undertaken by upper-class young men from Britain in the 17th-19th centuries as part of their education.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
An extended travel journey through multiple European countries, traditionally undertaken by upper-class young men from Britain in the 17th-19th centuries as part of their education.
Any extensive sightseeing trip or journey through several notable places; can also refer metaphorically to an exhaustive examination or review of a series of things.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Both varieties understand the term. It is more historically rooted in British culture but is used in American English to describe an extensive European trip or any major tour.
Connotations
In British English, stronger historical and class-based connotations. In American English, may simply imply a comprehensive, multi-stop trip.
Frequency
More frequent in British English, especially in historical or cultural contexts.
Grammar
How to Use “grand tour” in a Sentence
to embark on a grand tour of [PLACE]to take a grand tourto do the grand toura grand tour through [PLACES]Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “grand tour” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The young aristocrat planned to grand-tour the Continent for two years.
- They are grand-touring their way through France and Italy.
American English
- After graduation, she grand-toured Europe with her savings.
- They decided to grand-tour the major national parks.
adjective
British English
- He had a grand-tour education, having visited all the capitals.
- The grand-tour route typically included Paris and Rome.
American English
- Their grand-tour vacation was the highlight of the year.
- He presented a grand-tour slideshow of his travels.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare. May humorously describe a series of visits to multiple offices or sites ('He's on a grand tour of our Asian subsidiaries').
Academic
Common in historical, art historical, and literary studies to refer to the historical practice.
Everyday
Used to describe an ambitious, multi-destination holiday, often in Europe.
Technical
In robotics/computer science, can metaphorically name algorithms that visit all points in a set.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “grand tour”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “grand tour”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “grand tour”
- Using it for any large tour (e.g., a band's world tour).
- Misspelling as 'grande tour' (influence from Italian/French).
- Using it without the article ('He went on grand tour').
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Historically, yes—it specifically referred to a tour of European cultural sites. Modern usage can extend to other regions (e.g., 'a grand tour of Asia'), but it retains its European connotations.
Yes, though it's less common and somewhat informal or humorous (e.g., 'They grand-toured Europe last summer').
A 'grand tour' emphasises cultural education and leisure, traditionally in Europe. A 'world tour' is geographical, implying travel across many continents, and is not tied to the historical educational tradition.
It is used, but often self-consciously or in marketing to evoke a sense of tradition, luxury, and thoroughness. It's more common in writing than in casual speech.
An extended travel journey through multiple European countries, traditionally undertaken by upper-class young men from Britain in the 17th-19th centuries as part of their education.
Grand tour is usually formal, historical, literary in register.
Grand tour: in British English it is pronounced /ˌɡrænd ˈtʊə(r)/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌɡrænd ˈtʊr/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “[do/go on] the grand tour (of a house/property)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a GRAND (large, impressive) TOUR (trip) of many GRAND (magnificent) places like palaces and museums.
Conceptual Metaphor
LIFE IS A JOURNEY; EDUCATION/REFINEMENT IS TRAVEL
Practice
Quiz
What is the most accurate modern use of 'grand tour'?