busker

noun

busk·​er ˈbə-skər How to pronounce busker (audio)
chiefly British
: a person who entertains in a public place for donations
busk intransitive verb

Examples of busker in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Molina vowed Thursday to work with buskers while refining the new framework into an ordinance. David Garrick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 Oct. 2023 On his new album (releasing on September 15), Roots Rock Rebel, Jesse creates a meaningful call to action in the tradition of great rambling American buskers. Liza Lentini, Spin, 14 Sep. 2023 Boston busker is living his dream Randall, 39, has been playing bagpipes for around 15 years and busking for more than a decade. Daniel Kool, BostonGlobe.com, 19 Aug. 2023 Time for festivals, food trucks, buskers, outdoor concerts, cultural gatherings and — of course — barbecues! Brian Manzullo, Detroit Free Press, 11 July 2023 Neely, a 30-year-old subway busker who performed dance routines in costume as Michael Jackson, was unconscious when officers arrived at the Broadway and East Houston Street station. Jonathan Dienst, NBC News, 11 May 2023 Along with rituals and processions, there were, no doubt, food sellers, and incense vendors, and corner buskers, as there are in India today. Holland Cotter, New York Times, 21 July 2023 Traffic growls, sirens wail, tour guides babble, buskers with microphones perform for tips, souvenir shops hawk their wares and passengers pour in and out of the Underground. Jon Marcus, BostonGlobe.com, 15 June 2023 Neely was homeless and described as a subway busker who performed dance routines in costume as Michael Jackson. Jonathan Dienst, NBC News, 12 May 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'busker.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

busk, probably from Italian buscare to procure, gain, from Spanish buscar to look for

First Known Use

1851, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of busker was in 1851

Dictionary Entries Near busker

Cite this Entry

“Busker.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/busker. Accessed 28 Nov. 2023.

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