Peripatetic
Word of the Day
What is Peripatetic?
adjective
Traveling from place to place, especially working or based in various places for relatively short periods.
Pronunciation
Why This Word?
Chosen to honor curiosity with good shoes.
Examples of Use
Here's how this word appears in everyday language:
Consultants often lead peripatetic lives.
A peripatetic troupe played towns along the coast.
Their peripatetic discussions shaped the manuscript.
Word Origins
Greek peripatein “to walk about,” linked to Aristotle’s school
From the Lyceum’s walking lectures to modern itinerant work.
First appearance in English: late Middle English
Word Family
Related forms of this word:
-
Noun:
An itinerant teacher visited rural schools.
-
Adjective:
Nomadic teams hot-desk across cities.
-
Adjective:
Ambulatory rounds took learning to the wards.
Around the World
How this word appears in other languages:
- Spanish: peripatético (itinerante)
- French: péripatéticien (itinerant)
- German: wandernd / umherziehend
- Italian: peripatetico
- Portuguese: peripatético / itinerante
If you Already Know This Word
If you've mastered this word, try these more advanced alternatives:
Itinerant
Work-oriented travel; peripatetic is broader.
Nomadic
Cultural lifestyle; peripatetic is occupational.
Vagabond
Pejorative; peripatetic is neutral/learned.
Fun Facts
- Peripatetic also functions as a noun for an itinerant person.
- Walking meetings can boost creativity — a modern peripatetic twist.
Cultural Usage
- Aristotle’s followers were called Peripatetics.
- Walking seminars revive peripatetic dialogue.
Common Mistakes
Not “pathetic”; false lookalike.
Micro Story
Her peripatetic career spanned labs in three continents.