What does loiter mean?
To loiter means to remain somewhere without a clear purpose, often longer than is necessary or expected. The word commonly describes people who idle in a street, doorway, station, or other public place, as in “They loitered outside the entrance,” and it can also mean to delay an action or decision. Loiter carries a faintly disapproving tone because it suggests aimlessness or wasted time, though it can also describe an unhurried presence without implying wrongdoing. Its related noun, “loiterer,” designates a person who lingers or moves about idly. The verb is useful when the precise idea is not simply staying briefly, but remaining or acting without a definite purpose.
verbTo remain or move about in a place without a particular purpose or for longer than necessary. It can also mean to delay or postpone an action.
- To remain or move about in a place without any particular purpose.
- To delay or postpone an action.
- To waste time by moving or behaving without purpose.
"A group of students loitered outside the school, waiting for the bus."
"The children loitered in the arcade until their mother called them."
"He loitered over the decision, unable to choose between the two options."
To loiter is to stay when your business is already done—and sometimes to make waiting feel like a purpose in itself.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does loiter come from?
The English word developed in the Middle English period in the form “loiteren,” inherited from an Old French verb meaning to linger or move idly. The word is related to forms in other Germanic languages, including Dutch “loiteren” and German “lauern,” though the precise ancient roots shared by these forms are not fully certain. English “loiter” later developed the noun “loiterer” and the gerund “loitering,” which remain common derivatives.
Related word forms
How loiter is actually used
The word is formal to neutral and can sound mildly disapproving when it describes unnecessary delay or lingering in a public place.
Easily confused with loiter
“Loiter” usually suggests remaining or moving about without purpose, while “linger” focuses more on staying longer than expected or being slow to leave.
“Loiter” is a verb meaning to stay or move about idly, whereas “litter” can mean scattered rubbish or a group of young animals.