peregrinate
/ˈpɛrɪɡrɪneɪt/
verb
Origin
Latin
peregrinari — to be abroad, to travel in foreign lands
Overview
Meaning Now
- To travel or wander from place to place, especially on foot.
- To travel through or over; to traverse.
Literal older meaning
to travel through foreign fields
Language path
Latin → Late Latin → English
Earliest form
peregrinate
Earliest period
16th century
Journey
The term enters English during the Renaissance, reflecting the era's preoccupation with travel, exploration, and the humanist interest in Latinate vocabulary. It is structurally linked to 'pilgrim', which underwent a parallel evolution through Old French.
Evolution
- Latin
per
“through”
Preposition indicating movement across
- Latin
ager
“field, land”
Root indicating territory
- Latin
peregrinus
“foreigner, stranger”
Derived from per + ager
- Late Latin
peregrinari
“to travel as a foreigner”
Verb form derived from peregrinus
- 16th Century English
peregrinate
“to travel, to wander”
Back-formation from peregrination
Connections
Word parts
per
prefix
through
agr
root
field, land
ate
suffix
to make or do
Related across languages
French
pèlerin
pilgrim
Italian
peregrinare
to travel, to wander
Explore next
Related to peregrinate
External references use DefinedTerm semantics.