caravan

 
Pronunciation: /ˈkarəvan, karəˈvan/

noun

  • 1British a vehicle equipped for living in, typically towed by a car and used for holidays: they spent a fishing holiday in a caravan [as modifier]: a caravan holiday
  • a covered horse-drawn wagon: a Gypsy caravan
  • North American a covered lorry.
  • 2 historical a group of people, especially traders or pilgrims, travelling together across a desert in Asia or North Africa.
  • any large group of people, typically with vehicles or animals, travelling together in single file: a caravan of cars and trucks

Origin:

late 15th century (in caravan (sense 2)): from French caravane, from Persian kārwān. The sense 'covered horse-drawn wagon' dates from the early 19th century