itinerant

adjective

itin·​er·​ant ī-ˈti-nə-rənt How to pronounce itinerant (audio)
: traveling from place to place
especially : covering a circuit
itinerant preacher
itinerant noun
itinerantly adverb

Did you know?

In Latin, iter means "way" or "journey." That root was the parent of the Late Latin verb itinerari, meaning "to journey." It was that verb which ultimately gave rise to the English word for traveling types: itinerant. The linguistic grandparent, iter, also contributed to the development of other English words, including itinerary ("the route of a journey" and "the plan made for a journey") and errant ("traveling or given to traveling," as in knight-errant).

Examples of itinerant in a Sentence

an itinerant musician can see a lot of the world
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Grainier‘s an itinerant lumber man who worked the Pacific Northwest at the turn of the 20th century, felling timber and building railroads. Baz Bamigboye, Deadline, 14 Oct. 2025 Most of the players didn’t have green thumbs and weren’t accustomed to caring for plants, especially with their itinerant lifestyles. Sabreena Merchant, New York Times, 11 Oct. 2025 Lake Como Design Festival’s success is a testament to the ongoing rise of destination fairs around the world fueled in part by ultra-exclusive, invite-only itinerant art and design showcase Nomad Design Fair, whose first edition took place in 2017 in Monaco at La Vigie. Sofia Celeste, Footwear News, 18 Sep. 2025 At the time of her birth, her father, Albert, an itinerant merchant and womanizer, was absent and her parents unmarried. Leslie Camhi, Travel + Leisure, 15 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for itinerant

Word History

Etymology

Late Latin itinerant-, itinerans, present participle of itinerari to journey, from Latin itiner-, iter journey, way; akin to Hittite itar way, Latin ire to go — more at issue entry 1

First Known Use

circa 1576, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of itinerant was circa 1576

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Cite this Entry

“Itinerant.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/itinerant. Accessed 20 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

itinerant

adjective
itin·​er·​ant ī-ˈtin-ə-rənt How to pronounce itinerant (audio)
ə-ˈtin-
: traveling from place to place
an itinerant preacher

More from Merriam-Webster on itinerant

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