What does pushchair mean?
A pushchair is a lightweight, wheeled seat in which a baby or young child is pushed by an adult. It is the usual everyday term in British English and is also used in several other varieties influenced by British usage, while American speakers generally say “stroller.” Pushchairs may fold for transport and can be designed for one child or two. The word combines the action of pushing with the older term “chair,” making its function immediately clear. Although pushchair is now standard in Britain, “perambulator” is still heard and can sound more traditional or nostalgic. In informal British usage, “buggy” is also common, particularly for compact or folding models. The word is especially associated with everyday travel involving infants, from short trips to the supermarket to longer journeys by public transport.
nounA small wheeled chair or similar conveyance in which a young child is pushed by an adult. In US English, the usual term is “stroller.”
- A small wheeled chair or similar conveyance in which a young child is pushed by an adult.
"She unfolded the pushchair outside the station before helping the baby climb into it."
"The nurse wheeled a small pushchair into the waiting room."
"We took the folding pushchair on the train for the journey to the coast."
The usual plural is “pushchairs,” though this is rarely needed because the word is commonly used with a determiner or numeral.
"Several pushchairs were parked beside the entrance."
The pushchair largely won the naming contest once reserved for the perambulator: short, descriptive, and instantly understandable to British parents.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does pushchair come from?
“Pushchair” is a 19th-century English compound formed from “push” and “chair.” It became established as a simpler replacement for the older word “perambulator,” which had described various child carriages before the compact, pushed design became dominant. The compound approach reflects a broader English tendency to form descriptive names from everyday verbs and nouns.
How pushchair is actually used
The term is standard in British English but much less common in American English, where “stroller” is normally used. “Buggy” is also common in British English, though its use can vary with context and may refer to other kinds of small wheeled conveyance.
Easily confused with pushchair
A pushchair is the standard British term for a wheeled seat for pushing a child, whereas stroller is the usual American term.
Perambulator is a traditional British term for a child carriage, but it is now largely replaced in everyday use by pushchair.