saunter
This is the current revision of this entry, as edited by bogdan on 11 October 2026 at 08:27. This address is a permanent link to this version.
Pronunciation
- IPA: /ˈsɔːntə/ (UK); /ˈsɔntɚ/, /ˈsɑntɚ/ (US)[1]
Etymology
It is of uncertain origin,[2][3][4] probably from Middle English santren “to muse”.[5][2][3][6] Etymonline notes that the walking sense may be a different word,[3] and mentions a theory deriving it from Anglo-French sauntrer and French s'aventurer “to take risks”, which the OED finds unlikely.[3]
Earliest recorded meaning
To muse or be in a reverie (about 1475), a sense now obsolete.[7][3]
Semantic evolution
The sense of walking at a leisurely, careless pace appears before 1667.[7][2][3][6] The verb also meant to loiter over work (1673).[7] The noun meant a leisurely gait (1712) and idle occupation (1728),[7][3] and a leisurely stroll from 1828.[7][3]
Timeline
- about 1475 – to muse.[7][3]
- before 1667 – to stroll.[7][2][6]
- 1673 – to dawdle over work.[7]
- 1712 – noun, a leisurely gait.[7][3][2]
- 1828 – noun, a stroll.[7][3]
Modern meaning
Verb
- To walk in a slow, relaxed way; to stroll.
Noun
- A leisurely walk.
- A leisurely pace.
Word family
- saunterer
Usage notes
Random House gives amble, ramble and meander as synonyms.[4]
References
- ^ Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
- ^ a b c d e Barnhart, Robert K., ed. (1995), The Barnhart Concise Dictionary of Etymology, New York: HarperCollins
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Harper, Douglas, Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
- ^ a b Random House Webster's Unabridged Dictionary (1999), 2nd ed., New York: Random House
- ^ The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language (1992), 3rd ed., Boston: Houghton Mifflin
- ^ a b c Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary (2003), 11th ed., Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j Simpson, J. A.; Weiner, E. S. C., eds. (1989), The Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Clarendon Press