backpacking
UK[ˈbækpækɪŋ]US[ˈbækˌpækɪŋ]
n
The activity of travelling or hiking, often for pleasure, carrying your belongings in a backpack.
n
A style of travelling characterized by low cost, independence, and often carrying one's possessions in a backpack.
Morpheme Breakdown
back
pack
ing
back
body part/rear
pack
bundle
ing
noun suffix/gerund
Etymology
The word 'backpacking' is a modern English compound formed in the 20th century. It logically combines 'back', referring to the part of the body where the load is borne, with 'pack', denoting a portable bundle of necessities. The suffix '-ing' nominalizes the activity, creating a term for the act of travelling with such a pack. This lexical construction directly mirrors the physical and practical essence of the activity: carrying one's packed belongings on one's back, typically for independent, economical, and often extended travel or hiking.
Analysis
Structure: back (body part/rear) + pack (bundle) + ing (noun suffix/gerund)
- back: From Old English 'bæc', meaning the rear part of the human body or the opposite of front. In this compound, it denotes the location where the pack is carried.
- pack: From Middle Dutch 'pac' or Middle Low German 'pak', meaning a bundle or a load. It refers to a collection of items bundled together for carrying.
- ing: A suffix from Old English '-ung', '-ing', used to form nouns from verbs, indicating an action or its result. Here, it forms a gerund noun from the verb 'to backpack'.
Examples
She saved for a year to go backpacking across Southeast Asia.
Backpacking through the national parks requires good physical fitness and proper gear.
His blog details the joys and challenges of solo backpacking in South America.