busker

American  

[buhs-ker] / ˈbʌs kər /

noun

1. someone who performs on the street or in a public place, especially for money.

   Buskers staked out small areas on the boardwalk to serenade the crowd with old-fashioned favorites and newfangled hits.

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Etymology

Origin of busker

busk ( def. ) + -er ¹ ( def. )

Example Sentences

She typically charges customers $60 for a photo, and even with the Strip steadily growing more expensive—when a snapshot with a busker costs roughly the same as a burger and beer—her financial model has broken.

From Slate • Nov. 18, 2025

At the roadside, a lone busker played the same tune over and over again on an electric piano, as a sea of protesters passed by.

From BBC • Mar. 5, 2025

Beard asks Henry right before the busker hits a high note and prepares to launch into the chorus, backed by a gathering crowd.

From Salon • May 4, 2023

Imagine arriving at the Pioneer Square station and instead of doomscrolling until the train arrives, you can listen to a neighborhood musician sponsored by the city’s busker program.

From Seattle Times • Mar. 31, 2023

‘Wrong. He didn’t have the money, Kat. He’d spent it all. The disposable camera. The Mars bars. The Cokes. The busker.’

From "The London Eye Mystery" by Siobhan Dowd