Footganger

/ˈfʊtɡæŋər/ noun

Definition

An archaic term for a person on foot; a foot soldier or pedestrian, especially used in 18th-19th century literature.

Etymology

From 'foot' + 'ganger' (one who gangs or goes), an archaic English compound describing those who traveled on foot in groups or individually.

Kelly Says

A footganger was literary shorthand for an ordinary person with limited resources—Shakespeare and Dickens used it to signal working-class characters before modern social realism.

Related Words

Explore More Words

Get the Word Orb API

Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.