Pedestrian
Noun: a person walking, especially along a street. Adjective: dull, ordinary, lacking excitement or imagination.
noun, adjectivePedestrian
Noun: a person walking, especially along a street. Adjective: dull, ordinary, lacking excitement or imagination.
noun, adjectiveImagine This
Picture a busy city crosswalk where hundreds of pedestrians cross in orderly lines. Everything feels ordinary and routine, as if the scene itself is a textbook example of everyday walking.
Sounds Like
puh-DES-tree-uhn
Looks Like
Contains the root 'ped' meaning foot; resembles other 'ped-' words like pedal and pedestrian; visually evokes walking.
Remember This
Pedestrian has two main senses: one is a person who is walking (noun); the other describes something dull or ordinary (adjective). The root 'ped-' means foot, as in pedestrian, pedal, and pedestal.
Other Forms
Connect With
crosswalk, sidewalk, footpath, pedestrian traffic, walker, pedestrian zone
Note
Do not confuse pedestrian with pedal or pedestrianize. The noun refers to people walking; the adjective refers to dullness or mundanity.
Study Deeper
- The city installed new crosswalks to protect pedestrians at busy intersections.
- The novel received criticism for its pedestrian plot and lack of originality.
From Latin pedester meaning 'on foot', from pes, pedis 'foot'; via Old French pedestre.
Think 'ped' = feet. A pedestrian is a foot-person. Picture a crowd of people on foot filling the streets—no cars involved.
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