stroll
/stroʊl/
verb
Origin
Middle Low German
strollen — to wander, rove
Overview
Meaning Now
- To walk in a leisurely, idle, or rambling manner.
- A leisurely walk or ramble.
Language path
Middle Low German → English
Earliest form
strollen
Earliest period
16th century
Journey
The term likely entered the English language through contact with itinerant tradespeople or entertainers from Northern Germany and the Low Countries during the 16th century. It retains a nuance of movement without a specific, urgent objective.
Evolution
- 16th century
stroll
“to walk idly or wander”
First appearance in English records.
- 17th century
strolling player
“an itinerant actor”
Reflects the sense of wandering without a fixed destination.
- 19th century
stroll
“a leisurely walk”
Noun usage becomes common for short, pleasant walks.
Connections
Word parts
stroll
root
walk idly
Related across languages
German
strolchen
to roam or loaf
Dutch
struinen
to forage or wander about
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Related to stroll
External references use DefinedTerm semantics.