pedestrian
Origin of pedestrian
OTHER WORDS FROM pedestrian
nonĀ·peĀ·desĀ·triĀ·an, noun, adjectiveWords nearby pedestrian
MORE ABOUT PEDESTRIAN
What doesĀ pedestrian mean?
A pedestrian is a person who travels by footāa walker. The term is especially used in the context of road safety to distinguish people walking from people driving or riding bikes.
In this sense, the word is also commonly used as an adjective to refer to things involving pedestrians, such as in pedestrian crossing, pedestrian safety, and pedestrian walkway.
Example: Pedestrians will continue to be struck by cars unless we improve and enforce pedestrian safety laws.Ā
Pedestrian is also a negative term for something considered mediocre, uninspired, or lacking in originality. Itās especially used in artistic criticism, such as in reviews of music, movies, fashion, or food. Calling something pedestrian is typically considered an insult.
Example: Donāt you think that sweater is a little pedestrian? You want to dress to impress, right?
Where doesĀ pedestrian come from?
The word pedestrian gained popularity as a word meaning āwalkerā in the 1700s. It comes from the Latin pedester, meaning āon foot,ā from the root pÄs, meaning āfoot.ā The root pÄs and its variant ped- give us a lot of words related to feet, such as pedal and pedicure.
Throughout much of human history, you either walked or rode a horseāyou were either a pedestrian or an equestrian. Then came chariots, and coaches, and bicycles, and cars. And things got a bit dangerous for people traveling by foot. Today, the word pedestrian is almost always used in the context of safety for walkers in a world with so many cars speeding around. The word is especially used in reference to areas reserved for pedestrians, such as pedestrian crosswalks and pedestrian bridges.
Walking is a good thingānoble, evenābut those chariot-riding snobs sometimes looked down upon the common people who had to walk everywhere. This may be why pedestrian came to mean ācommonplaceā or ādullā in a way that lacks originality or inspiration. Something described as pedestrian might not be terrible, but itās been done beforeāthereās nothing special about it. The word can be applied to anything considered mediocre. A bland dish at a restaurant, a boring sitcom, an unoriginal plot, or someoneās uninspired fashion sense could all be described as pedestrian. But if you use the word, be prepared for it to be taken as an insultāperhaps one that makes you sound like one of those condescending charioteers.
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What are some other forms related to pedestrian?
- pedestrianism (noun)
- pedestrianize (verb)
- nonpedestrian (noun)
What are some synonyms for pedestrian?
What are some words that share a root or word element with pedestrian?Ā
What are some words that often get used in discussing pedestrian?
How isĀ pedestrian used in real life?
Pedestrian is most commonly used in the context of traffic safety to differentiate between walkers, drivers, and bike riders. When itās used to mean ācommonplaceā or āmediocre,ā itās always negative.
š¤Important message: From today, Crown Woods Lane is now closed to vehicles. A high number of visitors to Oxleas Woods are parking along it and blocking access for emergency vehicles and tree maintenance vehicles. Crown Woods Lane will still be open to pedestrians and cyclists.
— Royal Greenwich (@Royal_Greenwich) April 22, 2020
Pedestrian risk of being hit by a car goes up drastically at 4-way intersections. #headsupAmerica
— Pedestrian Safety (@TreyBur30354295) April 21, 2020
The only negative thing I'd say about the new Star Trek movie is that the score is a bit pedestrian. Lot to live up to though (e.g. Khan).
— Matt Gemmell (@mattgemmell) May 9, 2009
Try usingĀ pedestrian!
Which of the following words is NOT a synonym of pedestrian?
A. exceptional
B. commonplace
C. unoriginal
D. mediocre
How to use pedestrian in a sentence
British Dictionary definitions for pedestrian
- a person travelling on foot; walker
- (as modifier)a pedestrian precinct