man in the street

American  

noun

1. the ordinary person; the average citizen.

   the political opinions of the man in the street.

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man in the street British  

noun

1. the typical or ordinary person, esp as a hypothetical unit in statistics

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man in the street Idioms  

1. Also, woman in the street. An ordinary, average person, as in It will be interesting to see how the man in the street will answer that question. This expression came into use in the early 1800s when the votes of ordinary citizens began to influence public affairs. Today it is used especially in the news media, where reporters seek out the views of bystanders at noteworthy events, and by pollsters who try to predict the outcome of elections.

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Etymology

Origin of man in the street

First recorded in 1825–35

Example Sentences

Could the present for Le Mans also be the future for the man in the street?

From BBC • Jun. 12, 2023

Seattle officers found the man in the street near Ms. Jayapal’s house with his hands in the air and a .40-caliber handgun holstered on his waist, the Seattle Times reported.

From Washington Times • Jul. 13, 2022

After she went to the police following the alleged incident, an officer said the man in the street must have been Broadwater, who had supposedly been seen in the area.

From Fox News • Dec. 1, 2021

An officer suggested the man in the street must have been Broadwater, who had supposedly been seen in the area.

From Seattle Times • Nov. 23, 2021

“He probably does, but I met a man in the street and he told me how to find you.”

From "Song of Solomon" by Toni Morrison