What is the Latin word for campaign?

The usual Latin words for “campaign” are plānitiēs, campus, aperiō; also aequor, exaequātiō, bellum. The right choice depends on the sense; see the distinctions below.

English → Latin

“campaign” in Latin

plānitiēsplain, plateau; flatness campusOpen flat level ground: a plain, a natural field; Any flat or level surface; a specific plain or field north of Rome’s w aperiōto uncover, make or lay bare, reveal, clear; to make visible, discover, show, reveal, lay open; to unclose, open, break aequoreven surface; even surface of the sea in its quiet state; the calm, smooth sea; the sea level; the sea (even when agitat exaequātiōlevelling, equality, uniformity bellumwar expedītiōexpedition, campaign, mission; march; mission: an evangelical campaign in a foreign land.mīlitiamilitary service; the military, army, soldiery; warfare, war, campaign stīpendiumtax, impost, tribute, contribution; dues; pay, stipend (military)plānuslevel, flat, even; intelligible, clear

The English word campaign itself goes back to Latin campus, through campānia.

Riddle & Arnold A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon, 1864

campaign s.

open, level country, planities; aequus et planus locus: campus, with or without planus or apertus: aequor (chiefly used by the poets, but also by Cic.: aegyptii et Babylonii in camporum patentium aequoribus habitabant): aequata planities: exaequatio (a place made campaign).

The time during which an army keeps the field, bellum; expeditio; militia; stipendium: to serve in a campaign, bello or expeditioni interesse: to serve in the same campaign, bello una esse cum aliquo in castris; in castra proficisci cum aliquo; militia cum aliquo perfungi; cum aliquo militare: to serve under anybody in a campaign, aliquo imperatore, aliquo imperante, sub aliquo merere; sub aliquo. or sub alicujus signis militare: alicujus castra sequi: to serve one’s first campaign, militiam auspicari; he has served in many a campaign, in bello multum versatus est; multa stipendia habuit: a man who has never served in a campaign, homo nullius stipendii; qui nunquam castra vidit: to reopen the campaign, copias ex hibernaculis extrahere: to undertake a campaign against, proficisci contra aliquem.

Quick answer

What is the Latin word for campaign?: The usual Latin words for “campaign” are plānitiēs, campus, aperiō; also aequor, exaequātiō, bellum. The right choice depends on the sense; see the distinctions below.

Entry from J. E. Riddle & T. K. Arnold, A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon (rev. C. Anthon, New York: Harper, 1864), digitised by Fergus J. P. Walsh, CC BY-SA 4.0; Latin markup adapted by latindictionary.co.