english word · 2026-11-13
Fernweh
noun
Meaning
A deep, aching longing for far-off places or a craving for travel to somewhere one has never been. It is often described as the opposite of homesickness, representing a pull toward the unknown.
Etymology
From the German 'fern' (far) and 'Weh' (pain or woe), literally meaning 'farsickness'.
Examples
"As she stared at the old nautical maps, a sudden wave of fernweh made the quiet library feel impossibly small."
"He didn't need a specific destination; he simply needed to appease the fernweh that had been simmering in his chest for months."
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