What does stopover mean?
A stopover is a pause during a journey, often with an overnight stay between two flights or travel legs. The word can refer either to the interruption itself or to the place where travellers stop. For example, someone might describe a long journey to Australia as including stopovers in Dubai and Singapore, or say that a hotel in Delhi was their stopover before continuing north. The word is especially associated with air travel and is common in British English, while American English also uses it, particularly for an overnight connection. It is more specific than a general “break” in a journey, since it usually implies a meaningful pause, and it often suggests rest or accommodation as well as a change of transport. The related verb is normally written as two words, “stop over.”
nounA stop during a journey, especially one involving an overnight stay. It can also refer to the place where such a stop is made.
- A pause during a journey, especially one involving an overnight stay.
- The place where a traveller stops during a journey.
"We booked a stopover in Lisbon on our way to Brazil."
"Our flight to Sydney included a stopover in Singapore."
"The stopover was a small town where we stayed for two nights."
The plural is formed by adding -s.
"The itinerary offers several stopovers along the route."
One word can describe both the pause in a journey and the place where you spend it.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does stopover come from?
“Stopover” was formed within English by combining “stop” with the prefix-like word “over,” expressing a pause during travel. Both elements are Germanic in origin: “stop” comes from an Old English word associated with halting, while “over” developed from a Germanic spatial term meaning “above” or “across.” The compound became established in the context of journey travel, where it denotes an intermediate halt.
Related word forms
How stopover is actually used
In air travel, the term is especially common in British English, although it is also used in American English. It is less usual for a brief pause without an overnight stay, when 'layover' may be more appropriate.
Easily confused with stopover
A layover is a pause during a journey, usually at an airport, whereas a stopover may involve an overnight stay and can also name the place where the pause occurs.