What does pushcart mean?
A pushcart is a small wheeled cart that is moved by pushing it from behind. It is commonly associated with street vendors and market sellers, who use it to display and transport food, flowers, newspapers, or other goods. Although the cart may have two or more wheels, it is normally compact enough for one person to maneuver. The word is especially familiar in US English, while “barrow” is often more common in Britain. A pushcart is distinguished from a general cart by the fact that human power propels it, rather than an animal or a motor. The term is usually neutral, but it can evoke traditional street markets, inexpensive food, and small independent traders. In this context, a pushcart is both a practical means of transport and a recognizable feature of urban commerce.
nounA small wheeled cart designed to be propelled by pushing it from behind, especially one used by a street vendor or market seller.
- A small wheeled cart pushed by a person, especially one used to carry goods for sale.
"She pushed her cart of fresh lemons slowly through the crowded market."
"The baker arranged fresh bread on a wooden pushcart outside the shop."
"A fruit seller wheeled the pushcart through the railway station each morning."
The regular plural is formed by adding “-s.”
"Several pushcarts lined the street outside the market hall."
A famous 1943 photograph of women factory workers pushing a cart became an enduring symbol of women's industrial work during World War II.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does pushcart come from?
Pushcart is a compound of the older English words “push” and “cart,” and it appeared in English during the 19th century. The second element, “cart,” was borrowed from Old Norse “katr” and ultimately derives from Latin “carrus,” the source of several related English words. The compound originally and now refers to a cart propelled by a person pushing it.
Related word forms
How pushcart is actually used
The word is neutral to mildly informal and often suggests street vending, market stalls, or inexpensive food sold from a cart. In British English, “barrow” may be preferred in some contexts.
Easily confused with pushcart
A cart is a general term for a wheeled vehicle, while a pushcart is specifically one propelled by a person pushing it.