jaywalk

[ jey-wawk ]
See synonyms for: jaywalkjaywalker on Thesaurus.com

verb (used without object)
  1. to cross a street at a place other than a regular crossing or in a heedless manner, as diagonally or against a traffic light.

Origin of jaywalk

1
An Americanism dating back to 1915–20; jay1 + walk

Other words from jaywalk

  • jaywalker, noun

Words Nearby jaywalk

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use jaywalk in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for jaywalk

jaywalk

/ (ˈdʒeɪˌwɔːk) /


verb
  1. (intr) to cross or walk in a street recklessly or illegally

Origin of jaywalk

1
C20: from jay (sense 2)

Derived forms of jaywalk

  • jaywalker, noun
  • jaywalking, noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012