What does perambulator mean?
A perambulator is a small wheeled carriage in which a baby or young child is carried, usually pushed by an adult. In Britain it is traditionally called a pram, while US speakers normally say stroller or baby carriage. The word has a formal, slightly old-fashioned tone, giving everyday references to a child's carriage an air of traditional British usage. Older English also used perambulator for a person who walked about for pleasure or inspection, though that sense is now literary or historical. The word comes through Latin from per- and ambulare, both elements associated with walking. Its development is memorable: a word for someone who walks eventually became the name of a vehicle pushed on foot. Today, perambulator remains best understood as a pram or baby carriage.
nounA small wheeled carriage for carrying a baby or young child, pushed by an adult. In British usage, it is commonly called a pram.
- A baby carriage or pram, pushed by an adult.
- A person who walks about, especially for pleasure; a stroller.
"We folded the perambulator and left it beside the café door."
"She pushed the perambulator along the tree-lined avenue."
"The committee's perambulator was known for inspecting every street on foot."
The regular plural is perambulators.
"The shop stocks lightweight perambulators for travelers."
Its name literally means “one who walks about”—a fitting start for a carriage that was pushed rather than driven.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does perambulator come from?
The English word comes from Latin perambulare, formed from per- and ambulare, both associated with walking or traversing. In early English use, it could refer to a person who walked about; by the nineteenth century it was established for a lightweight carriage for children that was pushed on foot.
How perambulator is actually used
In modern British English, this is a relatively formal or traditional synonym for pram. US speakers normally use stroller or baby carriage. The older sense meaning a person who walks about is now literary or historical.
Easily confused with perambulator
A perambulator is a noun naming a wheeled carriage for a child, whereas to perambulate is a verb meaning to walk around.