pedestrian

[puh-des-tree-uhn]

noun

1. a person who goes or travels on foot; walker.

adjective

1. going or performed on foot; walking.

2. of or relating to walking.

3. lacking in vitality, imagination, distinction, etc.; commonplace; prosaic or dull.

   a pedestrian commencement speech.

pedestrian

/ pɪˈdɛstrɪən /

noun

1. 1. a person travelling on foot; walker

   2. ( as modifier )

      a pedestrian precinct

adjective

1. dull; commonplace

   a pedestrian style of writing

Other Word Forms

• nonpedestrian noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of pedestrian¹

1710–20; < Latin pedestri- (stem of pedester on foot, derivative of pēs (stem ped- ); pedi- ) + -an

Word History and Origins

Origin of pedestrian¹

C18: from Latin pedester, from pēs foot

Example Sentences

More than 130 people, including eight children, were injured when a Ford Galaxy car struck pedestrians on Water Street in Liverpool City Centre, as fans celebrated the club's Premier League victory parade on 26 May.

From BBC

In the centre of Vladivostok I stop to listen to a band busking on a pedestrian street.

From BBC

The distance calculated by North Yorkshire Council is based on a road entrance to Tadcaster Grammar, but Ruth, who is a GP, discovered a pedestrian gate which made it the closest school by 27 metres.

From BBC

During the day pedestrians are at times being made to wait as roadblocks go up to allow the motorcades of visiting world leaders to pass by quickly.

From BBC

Carmaker Tesla has asked a federal court in Florida to throw out a verdict from a jury that found the company partly liable in a 2019 crash that killed a pedestrian and severely injured another.

From BBC

Related Words

• banal 
• humdrum 
• mediocre 
• mundane 
• plodding www.thesaurus.com
• prosaic 

When To Use

What does pedestrian mean?

A pedestrian is a person who travels by foot—a walker. The term is especially used in the context of road safety to distinguish people walking from people driving or riding bikes.In this sense, the word is also commonly used as an adjective to refer to things involving pedestrians, such as in pedestrian crossing, pedestrian safety, and pedestrian walkway.Example: Pedestrians will continue to be struck by cars unless we improve and enforce pedestrian safety laws. Pedestrian is also a negative term for something considered mediocre, uninspired, or lacking in originality. It’s especially used in artistic criticism, such as in reviews of music, movies, fashion, or food. Calling something pedestrian is typically considered an insult.Example: Don’t you think that sweater is a little pedestrian? You want to dress to impress, right?