jaywalker

English

Etymology

From jay (“a stupid person”) +‎ walker; jay walker (“a pedestrian who doesn't pay attention to the road, endangering themselves and obstructing horses, carts, and automobiles”). First use appears c. 1917 in Harper's Magazine. Coined in analogy to the older turn-of-the-20th-century term jay driver (“a driver who doesn't pay attention to the road, endangering horses, carts, bicyclists, and pedestrians”). Promoted by driving enthusiasts and automotive concerns to clear the roads of obstructive pedestrians by making it illegal to walk in the middle of roads.

Pronunciation

(General American) enPR: jāʹwôkər, IPA^(key): /ˈd͡ʒeɪ.wɔkɚ/
(cot–caught merger) IPA^(key): /ˈd͡ʒeɪ.wɑkɚ/
(Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈd͡ʒeɪwɔːkə/
Hyphenation: jay‧walk‧er

Noun

jaywalker (plural jaywalkers)

(US) A person who violates pedestrian traffic regulations by crossing a street away from a designated crossing or who walks on the part of the street intended for vehicles instead of the part designated for pedestrians.
Coordinate term: jayrunner

Derived terms

Translations

one who jaywalks

German: no equivalent term in German, but see unachtsamer Fußgänger m, unachtsame Fußgängerin f, die Verkehrsregeln missachtender Fußgänger m, die Verkehrsregeln missachtende Fußgängerin f
Hungarian: szabálytalanul átkelő gyalogos
Norwegian: rågjenger
Russian: неосторо́жный пешехо́д m (neostoróžnyj pešexód)
Spanish: peatón imprudente m
Swedish: no equivalent term in Swedish, but see oförsiktig fotgängare, vårdslös fotgängare