Meaning
What does Wanderlust mean?
Wanderlust is a common word to be found on the internet, especially posts of Instagram models and influencers, whenever they are posting pictures of airports, train stations, or any place or object even remotely related to travelling.
The word describes a feeling that strongly impels a person to up and go, travel, roam about the world, to amass experiences and see novelty.
Many claim that they are special cases of “wanderlust”; that theirs is an exceptional love toward travelling, although these people tend to forget that every human being on Earth gets excited about going to unknown places and discovering new phenomena through voyaging.
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Origin
What's the origin of Wanderlust?
The term is comprised of two words, both of German origin, and it can be traced back to German romanticism, which idealized the process of growth for the apprentice, during which he or she discovered themselves on a journey, living in harmony with nature.
Wandern, the first part of the expression translates to “hike” in English, while Lust is the Germanic form of the word “desire”.
In German, the term may be traced back to the 1850’s, however in English the first documented case of “wanderlust” is found in 1902.
Spread & Usage
How did Wanderlust spread?
“Wanderlust” had always been an idea of interest for people, seeing as ever since the adoption of agriculture, humans tended to live their lives in the same place and not see new places and faces so often, resulting in a large interest in wanderers and travelers.
Today, in the golden age of globalism, travelling had never been easier and people are also presented with a convenient means to share their experiences with each other through the internet.
“Wanderlust” today is most encountered in hashtags on social media posts.

External resources
- Wikipedia – Wanderlust