motorhome

Word family

• motorhoming
  nounC1
• motorhomer
  nounC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Motorhome is the general international term for a large, self-contained motor vehicle with living quarters, common in British and Australian English. RV (recreational vehicle) is the dominant term in North America and often implies the same type of vehicle, though it can also include towable trailers. Camper van describes a smaller, van-based vehicle with basic sleeping and cooking facilities, more manoeuvrable but less spacious than a motorhome. Caravan (or travel trailer) is a towable unit with no engine of its own, so it must be pulled by another vehicle. In everyday use, a family on a cross-country trip might rent a motorhome or RV, a solo traveller might prefer a camper van, and a holidaymaker with a tow bar might pull a caravan behind their car.

Common collocations

Etymology

Motorhome is a compound of motor (from Latin motor 'mover', via French moteur) and home (from Old English hām 'dwelling, house'). The word was formed in the mid-20th century as motor vehicles became large enough to include living spaces, combining the idea of a self-powered engine with the comforts of a home.