saunter
pronunciation
How to pronounce saunter in British English:
UK [ˈsɔ:ntə(r)]
How to pronounce saunter in American English:
US [ˈsɔntər]
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- Noun:
- a careless leisurely gait
- a leisurely walk (usually in some public place)
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- Verb:
- walk leisurely and with no apparent aim
Word Origin
- saunter
- saunter: [15] Saunter’s modern connotations of ‘walking’ did not emerge until the 17th century, but it is presumably the same word as Middle English santer ‘muse’. The origins of this, however, are largely a matter of speculation. One theory is that it is connected with the 15thcentury term sawnterell ‘pretended saint, sanctimonious person’, the notion being that those who affect piety go around with a faraway mystical musing air. Sawnterell in turn was probably a derivative of saint.=> saint
- saunter (v.)
- late 15c., santren "to muse, be in reverie," of uncertain origin despite many absurd speculations. Meaning "walk with a leisurely gait" is from 1660s, and may be a different word. Klein suggests this sense of the word derives via Anglo-French sauntrer (mid-14c.) from French s'aventurer "to take risks," but OED finds this "unlikely." Related: Sauntered; sauntering.
- saunter (n.)
- "a leisurely stroll," 1828, from saunter (v.). Earlier it meant "idle occupation, diversion" (1728).
Example
- 1. Locals and tourists saunter along with shopping bags .
- 2. Football players like to saunter around like they 're better than everyone else .
- 3. I often see azrael is all round me saunter .
- 4. Football players like to saunter around like they re better than everyone else .
- 5. Some of the commonest synonyms for walk in the english language such as trudge , stroll and saunter have no clear etymological roots .