walkabout

American  

[wawk-uh-bout] / ˈwɔk əˌbaʊt /

noun

1. Chiefly British.

   1. a walking tour.

   2. an informal public stroll taken by members of the royal family or by a political figure for the purpose of greeting and being seen by the public.

2. Australian.

   1. a brief, informal leave from work, taken by an Aboriginal person to wander the bush, visit relatives, or return to Native life.

   2. absence from work.

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walkabout British  

/ ˈwɔːkəˌbaʊt /

noun

1. a periodic nomadic excursion into the Australian bush made by a native Australian

2. a walking tour

3. an occasion when celebrities, royalty, etc, walk among and meet the public

4. 1. to wander through the bush

   2. informal to be lost or misplaced

   3. informal to lose one's concentration

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Etymology

Origin of walkabout

First recorded in 1905–10; noun use of verb phrase walk about

Example Sentences

The King surprised some shoppers outside the event, wishing them a "Merry Christmas" and shaking hands in an impromptu walkabout in the rain.

From BBC • Dec. 18, 2025

Kruglov had worked as a fiber optics cable installer in New York, but a little over a year ago, he left the city to embark on a walkabout.

From Salon • Oct. 27, 2025

The route: Sip your morning coffee as you watch some of the best surfing along the 200-mile SoCal Coast walkabout, with experts farther out catching waves up to 10 to 15 feet.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 16, 2024

MLS claimed that the creature’s 2-minute, 41-second walkabout broke a league record for on-pitch animal freedom.

From Seattle Times • May 16, 2024

It was on one such walkabout that he crossed the hare’s path.

From "The Very, Very Far North" by Dan Bar-el

Related Words

• backpacking
• trek
• trip