What does vac mean?
Vac is an informal English noun with two established meanings. In British and Australian English, it commonly means a vacation or holiday, often in expressions such as “on vac.” In British English, it can also mean a vaccine, especially in medical contexts such as “flu vac.” The two senses are distinguished mainly by their surrounding language: references to travel, time away, or the seaside suggest a holiday, whereas references to injections or public health suggest a vaccine. Although “vac” is short and conversational, it is not merely childish slang; it is widely understood in the regions where the word is used. The vacation sense is an informal clipping of “vacation,” while the vaccine sense is a separate clipping associated with “vaccine.” The word is therefore especially useful for recognizing relaxed British and Australian speech, where a brief, informal term may carry either a holiday or a vaccination.
nounAn informal noun meaning a vacation or holiday, especially in British and Australian English. In British English, it can also mean a vaccine, as in “flu vac.”
- An informal term for a vacation or holiday.
- Chiefly British informal term for a vaccine.
"We booked a cheap flight and spent two weeks on vac."
"We booked a cheap flight and spent two weeks on vac."
"She got her flu vac before travelling."
“Vacs” is an informal plural, although “vacations” or “holidays” is more formal and more common in formal writing.
"Their annual vacs are always planned well in advance."
Two meanings, one tiny word: a “vac” can be a holiday or a jab, depending on context.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of vac
The word “vac” in the sense of a holiday is an informal clipping of “vacation.” “Vacation” comes through French from Latin vacatio, meaning a release or period of leisure, and is related to vacare, “to be free, empty, or at leisure,” which also underlies words such as “vacate,” “vacuum,” and “vacuous.” The separate use of “vac” for a vaccine is an informal clipping associated with “vaccine.”
Related word forms
How vac is actually used
The word is informal and is normally lowercase. Context usually makes the intended sense clear: holiday or travel language points to a vacation, while medical or injection language points to a vaccine. The vacation sense is especially associated with British and Australian English, while the vaccine sense is particularly associated with British English.
Easily confused with vac
“Vax” is an informal word for a vaccine, whereas “vac” most commonly means a holiday in British and Australian usage and is chiefly British for a vaccine.