Synonyms of itinerant
: 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.
Indeed, expect to see her continue work as an itinerant blender and consultant. David Thomas Tao, Forbes.com, 26 May 2026 Nor is Liam, an itinerant drifter who juggles whatever trade is on offer but perhaps hasn’t nailed down any single one of them. Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 18 June 2026 One exhibitor, fellow itinerant platform Object & Thing, is familiar with this format. Adrian Madlener, Curbed, 27 June 2026 The scene is set for another frantic find-and-rescue mission that brings Woody out of retirement and cleverly integrates the story of the itinerant Buzz Lightyears. Damon Wise, Deadline, 16 June 2026 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 7 Jul. 2026.

Kids Definition

itinerant

adjective
: traveling from place to place
an itinerant preacher

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