A voyage is a long journey, especially one across water or through space. When explorers in the 1400s set out across the Atlantic Ocean, they embarked on voyages that lasted months and took them to lands they'd never seen before. When astronauts travel to the International Space Station, they're making a voyage into space.

The word suggests something more significant than a quick trip. You might take a car ride to visit your grandmother, but Ferdinand Magellan's crew made a voyage around the entire world (even though Magellan himself died partway through). The journey matters because of its significance: exploration, discovery, or a major undertaking, often covering great distances.

Voyage usually refers to travel by ship or spacecraft, though people sometimes use it poetically for any important journey. You might read about “a voyage of discovery” in a book about scientists exploring the deep ocean, or hear someone describe learning something difficult as “a voyage into the unknown.” The related phrase bon voyage (which comes from French) means “have a good trip” and is traditionally said to travelers setting out on a long journey.