The word “camp” brings to mind roasting marshmallows, canoe trips, and summer adventures in the woods — but its roots are far more military than recreational.
In this week’s installment of NPR’s Word of the Week series, language historians trace the journey of the word “camp” from its origins as a term for Roman military lodgings in the 1500s to the outdoor youth programs that emerged in the 1880s.
Those early wilderness retreats were not simply about fun in the great outdoors. They were intentionally designed to shape young boys into what organizers described as “manly men,” reflecting the cultural values and anxieties of the era.
It is a fascinating linguistic evolution — a word born on the battlefield that eventually found its way into the cherished childhood memories of generations of Americans.
