Word: itinerant (adjective, sometimes noun)

Associations

"Itinerant" describes someone or something that moves from place to place, often for work or travel, without staying in one spot for a long time.

• "An itinerant teacher travels to different schools instead of working at just one." This means the teacher moves around to teach.
• "Itinerant workers often find jobs in different cities or farms, not staying in one place." This shows people who move for work.
• "The festival had itinerant performers who traveled to many towns to show their acts." This means the performers move to entertain in different places.

A synonym is "nomadic," but "itinerant" often focuses more on the purpose of moving, like work or duty, while "nomadic" is more about a lifestyle without a fixed home.

Substitution

You can replace "itinerant" with:

• "traveling" – more general, less formal.
• "roving" – suggests moving around often.
• "wandering" – less planned, more random movement.
• "mobile" – able to move easily, but not always about constant moving.

Each word changes the meaning slightly. For example, "itinerant" implies planned moving for work or duty, while "wandering" suggests aimless movement.

Deconstruction

The word "itinerant" comes from Latin "itinerari," meaning "to travel" or "journey."

• Root: "itiner-" means "journey" or "route."
• Suffix: "-ant" is used to form adjectives or nouns meaning "doing" or "being." So, "itinerant" literally means "one who journeys" or "moving from place to place."

Inquiry

• Can you think of jobs or people in your country who might be called itinerant? Why?
• How is an itinerant lifestyle different from living in one place all the time?
• Have you ever been itinerant, traveling for work or study? How did it feel?