itinerant
eye-TIN-er-uhnt
/aɪˈtɪnərənt/
Traveling from place to place, especially in order to work or perform official duties.
Focuses on purposeful travel connected to a trade, profession, or circuit (e.g., itinerant preachings or judges).
The story behind the word. From Late Latin 'itinerans', present participle of 'itinerari' ('to travel'). This traces back to Latin 'iter' ('journey' or 'way'), which ultimately derives from the verb 'ire' ('to go'). An itinerant worker follows a journey-path.
Word relationships
- peripatetic: Peripatetic is more scholarly and emphasizes walking around while working or lecturing.
- nomadic: Nomadic refers to whole communities moving periodically for subsistence, whereas itinerant often applies to individuals pursuing work.
- sedentary: Sedentary means remaining settled in one place with little physical relocation.
Commonly confused with
- itinerary: An itinerary is a planned route or journey schedule, while itinerant describes the person making such journeys.
Word family
- itinerancy (noun): The practice of traveling from place to place.
- itinerary (noun): A planned route or list of places to visit on a journey.
Collocations
- itinerant worker
- itinerant preacher
- itinerant judge
Example sentences
- "The fruit harvest relies heavily on itinerant farmworkers who move north with the seasons." Agricultural Economics
- "In colonial America, itinerant preachers held revivals across rural communities." Historical Biography
Memory hook
ITINERANT shares its root with ITINERARY (travel plan). An ITINERANT worker follows an ITINERARY. An ITINERANT follows an ITINERARY.
When not to use
Do not use for aimless wandering; itinerant travel usually follows a trade route or schedule.
Fun facts
- The English legal system historically relied on 'circuit judges' called Justices in Eyre, who were literally itinerant judges holding court in rural towns.
Explore more words
itinerary, transient, sojourn, seasonal, intermittent, pilgrimage
Take your vocabulary further with LangBlitz
Our English vocabulary app: FSRS spaced repetition, 5,000+ curated words across 119 topic groups, CEFR A1 to C2. Explore your mastery with the beautiful Vocabulary World feature.