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jaywalker. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word
jaywalker, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say
jaywalker in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word
jaywalker you have here. The definition of the word
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English
Etymology
jay (“a stupid person”) + walker; jay walker (“a pedestrian who doesn't pay attention to the road, endangering themselves and obstructing horses, carts, and automobiles”). First use appears c. 1917 in Harper's Magazine. Coined in analogy to the older turn-of-the-20th-century term jay driver (“a driver who doesn't pay attention to the road, endangering horses, carts, bicyclists, and pedestrians”). Promoted by driving enthusiasts and automotive concerns to clear the roads of obstructive pedestrians by making it illegal to walk in the middle of roads.
Pronunciation
Noun
jaywalker (plural jaywalkers)
- (US) A person who violates pedestrian traffic regulations by crossing a street away from a designated crossing or who walks on the part of the street intended for vehicles instead of the part designated for pedestrians.
- Coordinate term: jayrunner
Derived terms
Translations