Ambulist

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. Someone who goes about on foot, often a wanderer or a habitual walker who moves from place to place
2. A person given to walking or ambulating from one spot to another rather than remaining in one place
3. One who makes journeys by walking, especially a rambling traveller who roams about on foot

Etymology: The Latin verb "ambulare," meaning "to walk," is the source of "amble," which came into English from Old French, and of "ambulance," a word that once named a mobile field hospital that followed armies on the move. "Ambulist" applies the same root to a person. It is a rare formation, and its exact date of first use is uncertain. The ending "-ist" comes from the Greek "-istes," which marked someone who practices or follows an activity, as in "cyclist" or "pianist." Joined to the Latin root, it describes someone defined by the act of walking. Because it is so uncommon, it is more a descriptive coinage than a word with a long, continuous use in English.