Meaning & use
campsite or camp site
Last updated
Meanings
nouncountable
a place where people are allowed to put up tents or park a camper for a short stay.
Grammar: Countable: you can say a campsite, the campsite, or campsites.
Patterns
- at a campsite
- on a campsite
- a campsite near something
We found a quiet campsite by the river and stayed for two nights.
The campsite has showers, toilets, and a small shop.
Many campsites are full during the summer holidays, so book early.
nouncountable
a single spot or pitch within a camping area where one tent or vehicle is placed.
Grammar: Often used with 'pitch' or 'number': campsite 12, our campsite.
Patterns
- a campsite with something
- book a campsite
- our campsite
Our campsite was under a big tree, so it stayed cool.
Each campsite has a picnic table and a fire ring.
Please keep your campsite clean and take your trash home.
Word forms
| plural | campsites |
|---|
Common combinations
- a campsite near the beach
- They chose a campsite near the beach so the kids could swim.
- a crowded campsite
- The campsite was crowded, and we could hardly find a flat spot.
- stay at a campsite
- We usually stay at a campsite when we travel by van.
- book a campsite
- You should book a campsite online before the long weekend.
- a campsite with showers
- I prefer a campsite with showers and electricity.
Synonyms and how they differ
- campground
- Very common in American English; it usually means the whole area with many pitches, while 'campsite' can mean either the area or one pitch.
- camping ground
- A slightly more formal or older term, used especially in British English for the whole area.
- pitch
- British English for the single spot where your tent goes; 'campsite' can mean the same, but 'pitch' never means the whole area.
Word family
Commonly confused: campsite or camp site or campus?
campsite or camp site vs campus
A campus is the grounds of a school or university, not a place for tents.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'campsite' correctly?
Choose one answer.
A campsite is a place for tents or campers, so 'at a campsite near the lake' fits. 'Campus' means school grounds, not a camping area; the library option confuses campus with campsite; and the hotel option contradicts the idea of camping.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “campsite or camp site”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.