Word: peripatetic (adjective)

Associations

"Peripatetic" means moving from place to place, especially for work or activity. It often describes people who do not stay in one location but travel a lot.

• A peripatetic teacher travels to different schools instead of working in just one school.
• A peripatetic lifestyle means constantly moving, like a traveling musician or consultant.
• In history, Aristotle’s followers were called peripatetics because they walked around while teaching. Synonym: "Nomadic" also means moving around a lot, but "peripatetic" usually refers to work or professional movement, while "nomadic" is more about lifestyle or culture.

Substitution

You can use:

• "Traveling" – more general, less formal.
• "Itinerant" – similar, often used for workers or performers who move regularly.
• "Wandering" – more casual, often without fixed purpose. Changing the word changes the tone: "peripatetic" sounds formal and professional, "wandering" sounds casual.

Deconstruction

"Peripatetic" comes from Greek "peri-" meaning "around" and "patos" meaning "walking." So it literally means "walking around." It originally referred to Aristotle’s teaching style of walking while talking.

Inquiry

• Can you think of jobs or people in your life who are peripatetic?
• How is a peripatetic lifestyle different from living in one place?
• Would you like a peripatetic job? Why or why not?