holidayer

A holidayer is someone who is away from their usual home for a holiday, most often for leisure or travel. The word is chiefly used in British and Australian English and can describe both domestic visitors and international tourists, although it is especially associated with people holidaying in a place other than where they live. It is less common than the synonym holidaymaker, but its shorter form can be useful when distinguishing visitors from local residents. For example, a coastal community might describe its changing population in terms of holidayers arriving in summer and residents remaining throughout the year. The term is a straightforward agent noun formed from holiday, and it carries no strongly positive or negative connotation; the sense of leisure and travel is usually central to its meaning.

A person who is away from home on holiday, especially someone travelling for leisure. The term is less common in British English than the synonymous holidaymaker.

Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.

Where does holidayer come from?

Holidayer is formed by adding the agent-forming suffix -er to holiday. Holiday comes from Old English hāligdæg, meaning “holy day,” which developed through the older form holyday into the modern spelling holiday. The same Old English root survives in words such as holy, holiness, and hallow.

How holidayer is actually used

The word is chiefly associated with British and Australian English. In contemporary British usage, holidaymaker is generally more common, while holidayer often appears in contexts where holidayers and residents are contrasted.

Easily confused with holidayer

What's another word for holidayer?

Rhymes with holidayer