traveller uk meaning

Romani (Gypsy), Roma and Irish Traveller History and Culture

Romani (Gypsy), Roma and Irish Traveller people belong to minority ethnic groups that have contributed to British society for centuries. Their distinctive way of life and traditions manifest themselves in nomadism, the centrality of their extended family, unique languages and entrepreneurial economy. It is reported that there are around 300,000 Travellers in the UK and they are one of the most disadvantaged groups. The real population may be different as some members of these communities do not participate in the census .

The Traveller Movement works predominantly with ethnic Romani (Gypsy), Roma, and Irish Traveller Communities.

Irish Travellers and Romany Gypsies

Irish Travellers

Traditionally, Irish Travellers are a nomadic group of people from Ireland but have a separate identity, heritage and culture to the community in general. An Irish Traveller presence can be traced back to 12th century Ireland, with migrations to Great Britain in the early 19th century. The Irish Traveller community is categorised as an ethnic minority group under the Race Relations Act, 1976 (amended 2000); the Human Rights Act 1998; and the Equality Act 2010. Some Travellers of Irish heritage identify as Pavee or Minceir, which are words from the Irish Traveller language, Shelta.

Romany Gypsies

Romany Gypsies have been in Britain since at least 1515 after migrating from continental Europe during the Roma migration from India. The term Gypsy comes from “Egyptian” which is what the settled population perceived them to be because of their dark complexion. In reality, linguistic analysis of the Romani language proves that Romany Gypsies, like the European Roma, originally came from Northern India, probably around the 12th century. French Manush Gypsies have a similar origin and culture to Romany Gypsies.

There are other groups of Travellers who may travel through Britain, such as Scottish Travellers, Welsh Travellers and English Travellers, many of whom can trace a nomadic heritage back for many generations and who may have married into or outside of more traditional Irish Traveller and Romany Gypsy families. There were already indigenous nomadic people in Britain when the Romany Gypsies first arrived hundreds of years ago and the different cultures/ethnicities have to some extent merged.

Number of Gypsies and Travellers in Britain

This year, the 2021 Census included a “Roma” category for the first time, following in the footsteps of the 2011 Census which included a “Gypsy and Irish Traveller” category. The 2021 Census statistics have not yet been released but the 2011 Census put the combined Gypsy and Irish Traveller population in England and Wales as 57,680. This was recognised by many as an underestimate for various reasons. For instance, it varies greatly with data collected locally such as from the Gypsy Traveller Accommodation Needs Assessments, which total the Traveller population at just over 120,000, according to our research.

Other academic estimates of the combined Gypsy, Irish Traveller and other Traveller population range from 120,000 to 300,000. Ethnic monitoring data of the Gypsy Traveller population is rarely collected by key service providers in health, employment, planning and criminal justice.

Where Gypsies and Travellers Live

Although most Gypsies and Travellers see travelling as part of their identity, they can choose to live in different ways including:

• moving regularly around the country from site to site and being ‘on the road’
• living permanently in caravans or mobile homes, on sites provided by the council, or on private sites
• living in settled accommodation during winter or school term-time, travelling during the summer months
• living in ‘bricks and mortar’ housing, settled together, but still retaining a strong commitment to Gypsy/Traveller culture and traditions

Currently, their nomadic life is being threatened by the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill, that is currently being deliberated in Parliament, To find out more or get involved with opposing this bill, please visit here

Although Travellers speak English in most situations, they often speak to each other in their own language; for Irish Travellers this is called Cant or Gammon* and Gypsies speak Romani, which is the only indigenous language in the UK with Indic roots.

*Sometimes referred to as “Shelta” by linguists and academics

New Travellers and Show People

There are also Traveller groups which are known as ‘cultural’ rather than ‘ethnic’ Travellers. These include ‘new’ Travellers and Showmen. Most of the information on this page relates to ethnic Travellers but ‘Showmen’ do share many cultural traits with ethnic Travellers.

Show People are a cultural minority that have owned and operated funfairs and circuses for many generations and their identity is connected to their family businesses. They operate rides and attractions that can be seen throughout the summer months at funfairs. They generally have winter quarters where the family settles to repair the machinery that they operate and prepare for the next travelling season. Most Show People belong to the Showmen’s Guild which is an organisation that provides economic and social regulation and advocacy for Show People. The Showman’s Guild works with both central and local governments to protect the economic interests of its members.

The term New Travellers refers to people sometimes referred to as “New Age Travellers”. They are generally people who have taken to life ‘on the road’ in their own lifetime, though some New Traveller families claim to have been on the road for three consecutive generations. The New Traveller culture grew out of the hippie and free-festival movements of the 1960s and 1970s.

Barge Travellers are similar to New Travellers but live on the UK’s 2,200 miles of canals. They form a distinct group in the canal network and many are former ‘new’ Travellers who moved onto the canals after changes to the law made the free festival circuit and a life on the road almost untenable. Many New Travellers have also settled into private sites or rural communes although a few groups are still travelling.

If you are a new age Traveller and require support please contact Friends, Families, and Travellers (FFT) .

Differences and Values

Differences Between Romani (Gypsies), Roma and Irish Travellers.

Romani (Gypsies), Roma and Irish Travellers are often categorised together under the “Roma” definition in Europe and under the acronym “GRT” in Britain. These communities and other nomadic groups, such as Scottish and English Travellers, Show People and New Travellers, share a number of characteristics in common: the importance of family and/or community networks; the nomadic way of life, a tendency toward self-employment, experience of disadvantage and having the poorest health outcomes in the United Kingdom.

The Roma communities also originated from India from around the 10th/ 12th centuries and have historically faced persecution, including slavery and genocide. They are still marginalised and ghettoised in many Eastern European countries (Greece, Bulgaria, Romania etc) where they are often the largest and most visible ethnic minority group, sometimes making up 10% of the total population. However, ‘Roma’ is a political term and a self-identification of many Roma activists. In reality, European Roma populations are made up of various subgroups, some with their own form of Romani, who often identify as that group rather than by the all-encompassing Roma identity.

Travellers and Roma each have very different customs, religion, language and heritage. For instance, Gypsies are said to have originated in India and the Romani language (also spoken by Roma) is considered to consist of at least seven varieties, each a language in their own right.

Values and Culture of GRT Communities

Family, extended family bonds and networks are very important to the Gypsy and Traveller way of life, as is a distinct identity from the settled ‘Gorja’ or ‘country’ population. Family anniversaries, births, weddings and funerals are usually marked by extended family or community gatherings with strong religious ceremonial content. Gypsies and Travellers generally marry young and respect their older generation. Contrary to frequent media depiction, Traveller communities value cleanliness and tidiness.

Many Irish Travellers are practising Catholics, while some Gypsies and Travellers are part of a growing Christian Evangelical movement.

Gypsy and Traveller culture has always adapted to survive and continues to do so today. Rapid economic change, recession and the gradual dismantling of the ‘grey’ economy have driven many Gypsy and Traveller families into hard times. The criminalisation of ‘travelling’ and the dire shortage of authorised private or council sites have added to this. Some Travellers describe the effect that this is having as “a crisis in the community” . A study in Ireland put the suicide rate of Irish Traveller men as 3-5 times higher than the wider population. Anecdotal evidence suggests that the same phenomenon is happening amongst Traveller communities in the UK.

Gypsies and Travellers are also adapting to new ways, as they have always done. Most of the younger generation and some of the older generation use social network platforms to stay in touch and there is a growing recognition that reading and writing are useful tools to have. Many Gypsies and Travellers utilise their often remarkable array of skills and trades as part of the formal economy. Some Gypsies and Travellers, many supported by their families, are entering further and higher education and becoming solicitors, teachers, accountants, journalists and other professionals.

There have always been successful Gypsy and Traveller businesses, some of which are household names within their sectors, although the ethnicity of the owners is often concealed. Gypsies and Travellers have always been represented in the fields of sport and entertainment.

How Gypsies and Travellers Are Disadvantaged

The Romani (Gypsy), Roma and Irish Traveller communities are widely considered to be among the most socially excluded communities in the UK. They have a much lower life expectancy than the general population, with Traveller men and women living 10-12 years less than the wider population.

Travellers have higher rates of infant mortality, maternal death and stillbirths than the general population. They experience racist sentiment in the media and elsewhere, which would be socially unacceptable if directed at any other minority community. Ofsted consider young Travellers to be one of the groups most at risk of low attainment in education.

Government services rarely include Traveller views in the planning and delivery of services.

In recent years, there has been increased political networking between the Gypsy, Roma and Traveller activists and campaign organisations.

Watch this video by Travellers Times made for Gypsy Roma Traveller History Month 2021:

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9 myths and the truth about Gypsies and Travellers

For starters, only a small number of travellers camp illegally

• 00:01, 25 OCT 2019
• Updated 15:20, 25 OCT 2019

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Travellers and Gypsies are one of the most misunderstood minority groups in the UK.

To combat this  the Travellers' Times website has created a guide, which aims to promote positive images of the Traveller and Gypsy community.

It has been written in response to hate crime and racist language directed towards their communities.

Cambridgeshire has seen tensions between the Traveller and settled communities in recent years, with caravans pitching on unauthorised sites across including Fulbourn, Papworth, Cambourne and at Cambridge Business and Research Park.

As well as causing disruption to residential communities, there can often be a hefty clean-up bill as some groups leave behind piles of rubbish.

Cambridge police say they are committed to working with local councils to tackle the problem and has previously used powers under Section 61 of the Crime and Disorder Act to order unlawful encampments to disperse.

But, as the Travellers' Times points out, a only a small number of Travellers camp illegally.

While tensions can run high at times many people hold misconceptions, which Travellers' Times hopes to dispell.

Things you should know about gypsies and travellers according to Travellers' Times

There are nine reoccurring myths and misconceptions about their culture and origins.

1) Who are the UK’s Gypsies and Travellers?

Travellers and Gypsies have a rich and varied history.

Romany Gypsies are the descendants of a migration of peoples from Northern India in the 10-12AD, who spread across Eastern and Western Europe, reaching Great Britain in around the 1600’s.

Irish Travellers – or Pavee – and Scottish Travellers - are the descendants of a nomadic people who have traditionally inhabited Ireland and mainland Britain.

Roma usually refers to the descendants of the migration of various groups of peoples from Northern India in the 10th to 12th century who settled in Eastern and Western Europe.

2) Should we use a capital letter to start ‘gypsy and/or traveller’?

Romany Gypsies, Scottish, Welsh and Irish Travellers are all ethnic minorities, recognised under UK law and the Irish government.

Therefore it is customary to capitalise ‘G’ and ‘T’ for Gypsies and Travellers.

3) Lifestyle, ethnic group or ‘community’?

Research shows Gypsies, Roma and Travellers (GRT) should be seen as ethnic groups rather than ‘lifestyles’.

All the different GRT groups in the UK have a shared language or dialect, some shared cultural practices, most will identify as an ethnic group, and all individuals from all groups are legally recognised as ethnic minorities under the Equalities Act 2010.

4) How many Travellers live in the UK?

In the 2011 Census, 58,000 people identified themselves as Gypsy or Irish Traveller, accounting for just 0.1 per cent of the resident population of England and Wales. However the figure is likely to be much higher.

5) Traveller politics

There is a cross-party parliamentary group called the All Party Parliamentary Group for Gypsies, Roma and Travellers.

This is currently led by the charity Friends, Families and Travellers and the co-Chairs are Kate Green, MP for Stretford and Urmston, and Baroness Janet Whitaker.

6) Where do Travellers live?

The number of Gypsy and Traveller caravans in England and Wales is recorded twice yearly.

The vast majority of Gypsies and Travellers living in caravans stay on permanent public and private sites which have planning permission, waste collection and are subject to rent (unless of course the site is privately owned by the occupier), council tax and utility bills.

7) A small minority pitch on unauthorised land

A small minority of Gypsies and Traveller caravans are classed as unauthorised and staying on land they do not own, such as roadside camps.

This minority, which will include Gypsies and Travellers with no other place to stay and also Gypsies and Travellers moving off authorised sites to go ‘travelling’ during the summer, receives the vast majority of local news coverage.

7) Criminal Justice System

Far too many Gypsies and Travellers are in prison, as many as five per cent of the population according to Government research.

Meanwhile 0.13 per cent of the general UK population are in prision.

The Irish Chaplaincy in Britain works with Gypsies and Travellers in custody. Some prisons have their own GRT Prisoner Groups. The Travellers’ Times Magazine is delivered free to many UK HMP’s and the editor receives many letters from prisoners.

8) Nomadism

Nomadism is a shared heritage of Gypsies and Travellers and not a present reality.

Not all Gypsies and Irish and Scottish Travellers ‘travel’ – or may only ‘travel’ to traditional cultural events like Appleby Horse Fair.

9) Prejudice, oppression and the Holocaust

Many Gypsies, Roma and Travellers face daily prejudice based on negative stereotyping and misunderstanding.

This is because people generalise from the anti-social actions of a few and protect that onto the whole population.

Prejudice against them is longstanding.

In some Eastern and even Western European countries, Roma are segregated and live in camps and slums isolated from the rest of the population.

Alongside the Jewish population Roma were specifically singled out for extermination by Nazi racial policy.

Historians estimate the number murdered by Nazi and axis regimes during the Second World War to be around 500,000, although some historians say it is closer to a million.

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“Traveler” or “Traveller”

Traveler and traveller are both English terms.

Traveler is predominantly used in 🇺🇸 American (US) English ( en-US ) while traveller is predominantly used in 🇬🇧 British English (used in UK/AU/NZ) ( en-GB ).

In terms of actual appearance and usage , here's a breakdown by country, with usage level out of 100 (if available) 👇:

• In the United States , there is a preference for " traveler " over "traveller" (87 to 13).
• In the United Kingdom , there is a 77 to 23 preference for " traveller " over "traveler".
• In India , there is a 87 to 13 preference for " traveller " over "traveler".
• In the Philippines , there is a preference for " traveler " over "traveller" (63 to 37).
• In Canada , there is a preference for " traveler " over "traveller" (62 to 38).
• In Australia , there is a 87 to 13 preference for " traveller " over "traveler".
• In Liberia , there is a 71 to 29 preference for " traveller " over "traveler".
• In Ireland , there is a 85 to 15 preference for " traveller " over "traveler".
• In New Zealand , there is a 70 to 30 preference for " traveller " over "traveler".
• In Jamaica , there is a preference for " traveler " over "traveller" (56 to 44).
• In Trinidad & Tobago , there is a preference for " traveler " over "traveller" (53 to 47).
• In Guyana , there is not enough data to determine a preference between "traveler" and "traveller".

Below, we provide some examples of when to use traveler or traveller with sample sentences.

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Examples in Context

Examples of “traveler”.

• … 1662, by the Ottoman Turkish traveler Evliya Çelebi, who described it …
• … to him as "a great traveler , both on land and paper".
• … "pair" of individuals: the path traveler (Pāli: maggattha) and the fruit …
• … or future for the time traveler when they return home.
• … scenery of North America, a traveler must go by foot.
• … TCIP), and SAE J2354 Advanced Traveler Information Systems standards.
• A traveler and amateur naturalist, he regains …
• National Geographic Traveler s main competitors are Condé Nast …
• "The Arkansas Traveler sketch in Vaudeville", America's Library
• This story, of a traveler who falls in love with …

Examples of “traveller”

• … depreciate his merits as a traveller and naturalist, for the belief …
• George Sandys (born 1578), English traveller , colonist and poet, the seventh …
• In this case, the traveller may choose to stay in …
• … John (1735, 2nd edition) Suffolk Traveller .
• … the score entered on the traveller .
• Porphyrius Uspensky (1804–1885), Russian traveller and theologian
• … fiction roleplaying games such as Traveller , Shadowrun and Heavy Gear (the …
• He also tells the traveller of his poor family and …
• A Traveller in Italy is situated in …
• The Arkansas Traveller

(Examples are Wikipedia snippets under the CC ShareAlike 3.0 license.)

Too Much to Remember?

• Your community
• Gypsies and travellers

Definitions of Gypsies, Travellers and Travelling Showpeople

Gypsies and travellers.

For planning purposes Gypsies and Travellers are defined as:

Within the main definition are a number of cultural groups, including:

• Romany gypsies
• Irish Travellers and
• New Travellers

Romany Gypsies and Irish travellers are recognised in law as distinct ethnic groups and legally protected from discrimination under the Equalities Act 2010.

We try to avoid generalisation and stereotyping but for ease of working we often see Gypsies or Irish Travellers as those with modern, good quality vehicles who visit mainly urban areas to ply their various trades. They are often highly mobile and stay for relatively short periods of time. However some do stay longer when they can find a site to use as a base.

'New' or 'New Age' Travellers may be recognised by the assortment of vehicles in which they live. They may travel in search of seasonal employment or summer festivals but will usually want to stay on a site for a long period of time while their children attend local schools or while they repair their vehicles. They often have limited resources so moving from site to site can be a problem for them. There are now children of these families born on the road with no experience of house-dwelling.

All travellers, including New Travellers, have their right to roam protected by Human Rights Legislation, by the Housing Act 2004, the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 and the Children's Act 2004.

Travelling Showpeople

Travelling Showpeople are defined as:

Although their work is of a mobile nature, Showpeople nevertheless require secure, permanent bases for the storage and repair of their equipment and to live when not on the road. In recent years many Showpeople have had to leave traditional sites, which have been displaced by other forms of development.

Many Showpeople are members of the Showmen's Guild of Great Britain and are required by the Guild to follow a strict code of practice regulating the use of their sites. Membership of the Guild provides Showpeople with exemption from the site licensing requirements of the Caravan Sites and Control of Development Act 1960 when they are travelling for the purpose of their business, or where they only occupy quarters for a period between the beginning of October and the end of March in the following year.

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Definition of 'traveller'

traveller in British English

Traveller in american english, examples of 'traveller' in a sentence traveller, cobuild collocations traveller, trends of traveller.

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traveller | traveler noun

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What does the noun traveller mean?

There are 18 meanings listed in OED's entry for the noun traveller , four of which are labelled obsolete. See ‘Meaning & use’ for definitions, usage, and quotation evidence.

traveller has developed meanings and uses in subjects including

How common is the noun traveller ?

How is the noun traveller pronounced, british english, u.s. english, where does the noun traveller come from.

Earliest known use

Middle English

The earliest known use of the noun traveller is in the Middle English period (1150—1500).

OED's earliest evidence for traveller is from before 1387, in a translation by John Trevisa, translator.

traveller is formed within English, by derivation.

Etymons: travel v. , ‑er suffix 1 .

Nearby entries

• travel centre | travel center, n. 1883–
• travel document, n. 1892–
• travel expenses, n. 1839–
• travel folder, n. 1911–
• travel guide, n. 1881–
• travel industry, n. 1920–
• travel insurance, n. 1912–
• travellable | travelable, adj. 1521–
• travelled | traveled, adj. c1450–
• travelled blood | traveled blood, n. 1962–
• traveller | traveler, n. a1387–
• travelleress | traveleress, n. 1820–
• traveller-like | traveler-like, adj. 1825–
• traveller's cheque | traveler's cheque, n. 1891–
• traveller's diarrhoea | traveler's diarrhoea, n. 1890–
• travellership | travelership, n. 1824–
• traveller's joy | traveler's joy, n. 1597–
• traveller's palm | traveler's palm, n. 1850–
• traveller's tale | traveler's tale, n. 1747–
• traveller's tree | traveler's tree, n. 1809–
• travelling | traveling, n. 1489–

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Meaning & use

Pronunciation, compounds & derived words, entry history for traveller | traveler, n..

traveller, n. was revised in March 2020.

traveller, n. was last modified in March 2024.

oed.com is a living text, updated every three months. Modifications may include:

• further revisions to definitions, pronunciation, etymology, headwords, variant spellings, quotations, and dates;
• new senses, phrases, and quotations.

Revisions and additions of this kind were last incorporated into traveller, n. in March 2024.

Earlier versions of this entry were published in:

OED First Edition (1914)

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OED Second Edition (1989)

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Grammar Palette

• Writing Tips
• Plural Nouns
• Language Devices

Traveler or Traveller: Which Spelling is Right?

People often argue about the correct way to spell words, and one common debate is between ‘traveler’ and ‘traveller.’ Both spellings are okay, but which one is more right? Let’s look at the differences and when to use each.

Table of Contents

American Way: ‘Traveler’

In America, we usually write ‘traveler.’ It’s simpler with just one ‘l.’ This way of spelling came about in the 1800s to make writing easier. So, if you’re in the United States, ‘traveler’ is the way to go.

British Style: ‘Traveller’

Across the pond in the United Kingdom, they prefer ‘traveller’ with two ‘l’s. The British like to keep things traditional, holding onto how words were spelled in the past.

Where and How to Use

The choice between ‘traveler’ and ‘traveller’ isn’t only about where you are. It also depends on what you’re reading. American books and websites use ‘traveler,’ while British ones use ‘traveller.’ Both are right in their own way.

You will like: Center vs Centre: Decoding the Spelling Difference

Language Changings

Words change over time, and that’s cool. ‘Traveler’ and ‘Traveller’ show how English can be different but still right. Instead of thinking of them as mistakes, see them as part of the language’s rich variety.

Deciding between ‘traveler’ and ‘traveller’ is mostly about where you are and what you’re reading. Neither way is wrong – it’s about keeping things consistent. Whether you like the American ‘traveler’ or the British ‘traveller,’ just stick to one. Language is all about talking to each other, and having different spellings just makes it more interesting.

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Vance refuses to say whether Trump’s plans to expel millions of migrants would mean separating families

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JD Vance evaded giving specifics regarding one of the Trump administration’s greatest controversies on Sunday as he faced questions about immigration , border security , and the former president’s plan to deport hundreds of thousands — if not millions — of undocumented immigrants .

Vance sat down for an extended interview with NBC’s Kristen Welker on Meet the Press and took a line of questioning about one of Donald Trump ’s main 2024 campaign promises: to enact the “largest deportation operation in American history”, per his campaign’s own description. What that represents in reality would be a massive operation requiring significant federal funding, state cooperation, and could result in serious repercussions to communities around the country.

But when asked by Welker a question with a seemingly obvious answer — whether the concept of separating family units, including young children from their parents, would be revived under a second Trump term — Vance could not answer.

Instead, he argued that he believed “families are currently being separated” and added that “you’re certainly going to have to deport some people in this country”. But he argued that a Trump administration would prioritize violent criminals for deportation.

“Those people need to be deported,” said the GOP vice presidential nominee. “That’s where you focus federal resources.”

Vance’s comment about families “currently” being separated under the Biden administration digs at a grey area in immigration policy which has rankled progressives over the past three years. To be clear: immigration authorities under Biden are not separating families from young children, as was introduced during Trump’s term in office , when family units are detained by border security agents. That policy, spearheaded by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) under Trump as designed by White House aides such as Stephen Miller , led to the infamous photos of “kids in cages” as children ranging in age from teenagers to extremely young toddlers were kept in group pens at detention facilities away from their parents for days and sometimes weeks at a time. The policy was described as highly cruel and inhumane by its critics.

Under the Biden administration, some parents of adult children have been separated from them after crossing the border illegally, and have continued separating some extended family members and others who do not fit in narrow definitions of a “family unit” under the policies.

Trump himself doubled down on his plan to engineer the deportation of hundreds of thousands of people in an interview at the border with NBC News this past week, arguing that the undocumented immigrants he planned to deport would end up costing the US government more if they remained in the country. Immigration advocates have disputed this, noting that immigrants alone contributed billions of dollars per year in taxes.

“It’ll cost trillions of dollars to keep these people, and I’m talking about in particular starting with the criminals,” Trump said to NBC. “That’s costing us a lot more than deporting. But we have no choice, regardless, we have no choice. We’re going to have to deport.”

And Vance, in an interview with ABC News earlier in August, backed up Trump on the target figure for their plan: one million deportations, while hinting that their eventual goal could be much higher.

"You start with what's achievable," he said. "You cannot have a border unless you're willing to deport some people. I think it's interesting that people focus on, well, how do you deport 18 million people? Let's start with 1 million."

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• 1.1 Alternative forms
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• 1.4.1 Derived terms
• 1.4.2 Translations
• 1.5 See also

Alternative forms

• traveler ( US )

From Middle English traveler , travelour , travailere , travailour ( “ worker", also "traveller ” ) , equivalent to travel +‎ -er . Compare Anglo-Norman travailur , travailour , Old French travailleor , travelleeur , travelier .

Pronunciation

• ( UK ) IPA ( key ) : /ˈtɹævələ/ , /ˈtɹævlə/
• ( US ) IPA ( key ) : /ˈtɹævəlɚ/ , /ˈtɹævl̩ɚ/

traveller ( plural travellers )

• 1590 , Edmund Spenser , “Book II, Canto XII”, in The Faerie Queene.   [ … ] , London: [ … ] [ John Wolfe ] for William Ponsonbie , →OCLC , stanza 31, pages 370–371 : They were faire Ladies, till they fondly ſtriu’d / With th’ Heliconian maides for mayſtery; / Of whom they ouer-comen, were depriu’d / Of their proud beautie, and th’one moyity / Transform’d to fiſh, for their bold ſurquedry, / But th’vpper halfe their hew retayned ſtill, / And their ſweet skill in wonted melody; / Which euer after they abuſd to ill, / T’allure weake traueillers , whom gotten they did kill.
• 1678 , John Bunyan , “ The Author’s Apology for His Book ”, in The Pilgrim’s Progress from This World, to That which is to Come:   [ … ] , London: [ … ] Nath [ aniel ] Ponder   [ … ] , →OCLC : This Book will make a Travailer of thee, / If by its Counſel thou wilt ruled be; / It will direct thee to the Holy Land, / If thou wilt its Directions understand: / Yea, it will make the ſloathful, active be; / The Blind alſo, delightful things to ſee.
• 1892 , James Yoxall , chapter 5, in The Lonely Pyramid : The desert storm was riding in its strength; the travellers lay beneath the mastery of the fell simoom. Whirling wreaths and columns of burning wind, rushed around and over them.
• 1980 , Peter Hopkirk , Foreign Devils on the Silk Road ‎ [1] , Amherst : University of Massachusetts Press , published 1984 , →ISBN , →LCCN , →OCLC , pages 9–10 : Surrounding the Taklamakan on three sides are some of the highest mountain ranges in the world, with the Gobi desert blocking the fourth. Thus even the approaches to it are dangerous. Many travellers have perished on the icy passes which lead down to it from Tibet, Kashmir, Afghanistan and Russia, either by freezing to death or by missing their foothold and hurtling into a ravine below. In one disaster, in the winter of 1839, an entire caravan of forty men was wiped out by an avalanche, and even now men and beasts are lost each year. No traveller has a good word to say for the Taklamakan. Sven Hedin, one of the few Europeans to have crossed it, called it ‘the worst and most dangerous desert in the world’. Stein, who came to know it even better, considered the deserts of Arabia 'tame' by comparison. Sir Percy Sykes, the geographer, and one-time British Consul-General at Kashgar, called it 'a Land of Death', while his sister Ella, herself a veteran desert traveller , described it as 'a very abomination of desolation'. Apart from the more obvious perils, such as losing one’s way and dying of thirst, the Taklamakan has special horrors to inflict on those who trespass there. In his book Buried Treasures of Chinese Turkestan , von Le Coq describes the nightmare of being caught in that terror of all caravans, the kara-buran , or black hurricane.
• For more quotations using this term, see Citations:traveller .
• ( dated ) A salesman who travels from place to place on behalf of a company .
• ( British ) Someone who lives (particularly in the UK) in a caravan , bus or other vehicle rather than a fixed abode.
• 2010 , R. Todd Felton, A Journey Into Ireland's Literary Revival , →ISBN , page 213 : It provoked criticism for its portrayal of a woman who leaves her marriage for life with a solitary traveler . Irish women did not do those sorts of things, the audiences felt (although the plot came from a story told to Synge on Inis Meain).
• 2012 , Mark Connelly, The IRA on Film and Television: A History , →ISBN , page 212 : Kevin chases after him through a forest and finds the horse with Joseph Maguire (Ian Holm), a poetry-reciting traveler (Irish gypsy).
• 2012 , Maria Pramaggiore, Irish and African American Cinema , →ISBN , page 152 : ...settled Irish people of Southern Ireland treat the traveler boys with racist hostility (2001 180–81).
• A list and record of instructions that follows a part in a manufacturing process.
• ( electrical engineering ) One of the wires connecting the two members of a pair of three-way switches .
• ( nautical ) A metal ring that moves freely on part of a ship’s rigging .
• 1977 , New York Theatre Critics' Reviews , volumes 38-39 , page 134 : That would detract from the austerity of Rudkin's study, and a curtain on a traveler is always slid across the stage [ … ]
• 2008 , David Galt, Teach Yourself VISUALLY Bridge , →ISBN , page 263 : At the conclusion of play, the scores from all the travelers get entered into a computer.
• 2015 , Richard Grant, Dispatches from Pluto: Lost and Found in the Mississippi Delta : Nowhere else in the world had I seen such gigantic measures of liquor poured, such widespread enthusiasm for Bloodies and Mimosas on weekend mornings, or such firm insistence on giving sixteen-ounce Styrofoam cups loaded with iced liquor to guests leaving a party, so they might have a " traveler " for the drive home. At a bar in Yazoo City, the bartender asked me if I wanted to "go tall" with my bourbon on the rocks. I didn't know what he meant, but it sounded encouraging. "Sure," I said, "Let's go tall." He filled up a pint glass with ice. Then he filled it to the brim with bourbon. When I got up to leave with about half the drink gone, he poured the rest of it into a Styrofoam cup, assuming I would want a traveler .

Derived terms

• armchair traveller
• Canadian traveller problem
• commercial traveller
• fellow-traveller
• fellow traveller
• New Age traveller
• new age traveller
• time-traveller
• traveller's tale

Translations

• Irish Traveller

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Adam Boulton: Bank holiday travellers beware - getting to and from Europe is about to get a whole lot harder

The rules governing travel to Europe are about to change, as a long-postponed consequence of the Brexit referendum sees the 27-nation bloc demand a £6 de-facto visa to get in, along with fingerprint and biometric tests.

Sky News commentator @adamboultonTABB

Sunday 25 August 2024 10:29, UK

The August bank holiday has arrived - the cue for millions to get back to work after whatever holidays they have managed to enjoy.

Over this weekend many Britons will be coming home from Europe through ports, airports and the Channel Tunnel.

Their trips may have included frustrating delays and border checks but there won't be another summer which runs as smoothly as 2024 for many years ahead.

In a couple of months' time, the European Union will start imposing its new "Entry-Exit System" (EES) on UK citizens.

That will mean fingerprint and biometric recognition for every British visitor to the EU's Schengen area by the end of this year.

From November 2025 we will have to obtain a de-facto visa for entry in advance, at a cost of €7 (£6) for a three-year permit.

Nobody doubts that EES is going to lead to delays and greater costs for travellers and border control authorities alike.

For example, car passengers arriving at Dover have been told processing could take 15 hours before they get on a ferry.

The UK supported the strengthening of EU borders when it was a member state.

After Brexit , the UK now faces the consequences from the other side of the fence.

Starmer could seek to delay super-sensitive restrictions again

These extra practical frictions for UK travellers are coming in at the very time when the new Labour government in the UK is trying to establish friendlier relations with the EU.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has a meeting with the newly re-appointed European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen in September and there are plans to re-establish regular meetings between the UK and the bloc.

But in terms of identity, the new system is merely a confirmation of this nation's changed status.

From now on British citizens will be treated by the European Union in a similar way to the reception they receive from other allied nations such as Japan and the United States.

Europe is, however, overwhelmingly the main destination for British travellers, whether for business or leisure.

Last year official UK government statistics report 66 million visits by Britons to Europe, 60 million of them to core EU countries, compared to 4.5 million to North America, the next most frequently visited.

Spain, Greece, Italy, France and Portugal make up Britons' top five foreign holiday destinations.

Making travel from the UK to Europe more irksome is super sensitive for both sides and implementation of the new border controls has been repeatedly postponed.

First planned in 2017, they were originally meant to come in in 2021. Even the latest start date for biometric checks of 10 November 2024, is a month later than the most recent October deadline. At least travellers in the autumn half-term should now avoid the hassle.

Sir Keir's imminent talks could just possibly lead to further delay, although this seems unlikely.

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What to expect in the near future

According to The Times this week, Sir Keir's agenda is topped by agreeing to three years of freedom of movement for the under-30s both ways between the UK and the EU.

The arrangement would be similar to the one the UK now shares with New Zealand and Australia. Previously Rishi Sunak's government flatly ruled out this idea when the EU suggested it.

So expect biometric testing to start in November.

Travelling across borders this summer, at airports and ferry ports, I could see the technology already in place, lines of booths and sensors, ready and waiting.

Air travellers will be processed on arrival in Europe. Those using ferries or trains are expected to complete the formalities at UK points of exit.

The costs and delays are likely to be here.

Eurostar is spending £8.5m on extra facilities at St Pancras, including a new overflow room.

It plans to have terminals to confirm the Electronic Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) dotted around the station as a whole because there is not enough room in its part of the terminus.

In Folkestone, where cars and lorries board the Eurotunnel, an extra £70m has been earmarked.

The Port of Dover is expanding processing facilities for coaches into its western docks and plans to have more holding space on site for cars "by 2027".

New system 'effectively a visa'

Officially the new compulsory permission from ETIAS to enter the EU is not a visa.

But Simon Calder, the veteran British travel journalist, says it "amounts to one" and is broadly similar to the Electronic System for Travel Authorisation (ESTA) travel waiver to the US.

He points out that both require an online application in advance, the supply of significant personal information, the payment of money and result in permission to cross a border.

As well as details of age, home address and passport, applicants will also be asked if they have criminal convictions or have recently visited war zones.

It is estimated that ETIAS will take three days to process applications.

There will be a grace period of six months for muddles after the introduction of ETIAS for UK citizens in May next year but from November 2025 those who do not have ETIAS approval will not be allowed to travel. Stamping of passports on entry and exit will be dropped.

Scammers are already active online offering to process ETIAS.

Frontex, the European Border and Coastguard Agency, stresses the only way to get an ETIAS will be to apply at europa.eu/elias, at a fixed rate.

The system is not yet open or required for UK citizens.

Keep up with the latest news from the UK and around the world by following Sky News

Issues of immigration and identity impacted by change

The EU's Schengen travel area includes all 27 member states, except for Ireland and Cyprus, as well as Norway, Switzerland, Lichtenstein and Iceland. The Common Travel Area between Ireland and the UK remains in place.

In the long run of years, these new measures may make travel more efficient for those with the right documentation.

They will also increase the control of the authorities over who may enter their zone.

The UK and the EU both want to clamp down on illegal migration.

But inevitably the bureaucracy of travelling is also affecting how people see their own identity.

The last, pro-Brexit, UK government wanted to reach bilateral deals with individual European countries, in part to undermine the concept of European solidarity.

The EES is a pushback by the so-called "European Superstate" that it does not intend to be divided so easily.

EU citizens, who are more used than Britons to ID cards, already have to go through technological checkpoints to enter the UK and are subject to similar restrictions on duration of stay.

Practical barriers are going up between the UK and Europe, leaving those who identify as both British and European caught in the middle.

Read more from Sky News: PM working to fix 'botched' Brexit Scare at NATO airbase in Germany

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Travelling from France to Ireland by ferry this week, I could see this psychodrama advertised on the back of the vehicles coming on board.

Ireland has been transformed and liberated by its entry into the European Community in the wake of the UK. With its open border to the south, Northern Ireland has a foot in both camps. In trade terms this wound was rubbed in the long wrangle over the protocol and then the Windsor Framework .

More poignantly, the bumper stickers on the cars and trailers travelling home to the north via Cork were confused with the letters "NI" stamped on the European flag, just like on all the other member states of the European Union - to which the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland no longer belongs.

For some UK citizens, extra travel hassle and ETIAS charges may be prices worth paying for "taking back control". Many others, with new anxieties over travel plans, followed by fretting in queues, may not feel that way.

For ordinary travellers, these changes in travel regulations to Europe may matter as much in practice as some of the new government's more talked about challenges.

Sir Keir Starmer cannot afford to brush them aside.

Related Topics

• European Union
• Rishi Sunak
• Sir Keir Starmer

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Definition of traveller noun from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

• She is a frequent traveller to Belgium.
• leisure/business travellers
• These hotels are becoming popular with the discerning traveller.
• I'm not a great traveller. I'm happiest staying at home.
• Independent travellers often steer clear of the most touristy spots.
• Local tribesmen earn their living guiding travellers across the mountains.
• Stations can be dangerous places for the unwary traveller.
• hotels that cater to business travellers
• A friendly welcome awaits the weary traveller.
• Seasoned travellers know which places to avoid.
• The new travel card is very popular with rail travellers.
• Travellers might stop at the village but they rarely stay.
• His travel books have given pleasure to generations of armchair travellers (= people who prefer to read about travelling rather than travel themselves) .

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Border control is one of the more tiresome parts of the process for frequent travelers. To ease the pain for some passengers, the UK offers a program known as 'Registered Traveller,' allowing the use of ePassport gates. Here's a look at the process.

Open to some countries

As world borders open up, don't reach out to sign up for Registered Traveller just yet. Tt's essential to understand the eligibility for the program. This is restricted to select nationalities , listed here:

• Africa: Botswana, Namibia, Seychelles
• Asia: Brunei, Hong Kong (SAR passport only), Macao (SAR passport), Malaysia, Maldives, Taiwan (passports with personal ID number)
• Europe: Andorra, Monaco, Vatican
• Middle East: Israel
• North America: Bahamas, Mexico, St. Vincent and Grenadines
• Oceania: Nauru, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Tonga
• Central and South America: Argentina, Belize, Brazil, Chile, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Trinidad and Tobago, Uruguay

To be eligible, passengers must have entered the UK four times in the last 24 months. This does not apply to transiting the airport and must have entered the country, passing the border. Additionally, passengers must also have a UK visa, biometric resident permit (BRP), or entry clearance (such as visa-free access).

Benefits of the program

If you meet the requirements of the program, the Registered Traveller program brings a host of benefits. Those with ePassports, including a chip at the bottom, can use the dedicated ePassport queues at airports around the UK and other ports of entry such as railway stations. In case you do not have a chip, eligible holders can use the UK Passports section at the border, allowing you to reach the front much faster than other passengers.

With Fast Track still suspended at airports due to COVID and staffing shortages, Registered Traveller can mean the difference of hours when clearing the border at busy times. Let's take a look at the application process and cost of the program.

Application steps and price

Applications for Registered Traveller are made online and take ten working days for a response. If successful, you will still need to use the 'other passports' queue the first time to be approved by a border force agent who will recheck eligibility requirements. After that, you are free to use the benefits.

The program costs £70 ($92) for the first 12 months and £50 ($66) for renewal every year. If you are unsuccessful, you will get a £50 ($66) refund for your application. Children can be added for £20 ($26), but traveling with a child means you cannot use an ePassport gate upon entry.

The £50/year fee makes Registered Traveller far more expensive than US' Global Entry program, which only costs $100 for five years and includes TSA PreCheck at all airports. However, for those who fly to the UK often, the convenience of breezing through might be worth it.

What do you think about the UK's Registered Traveller program? Would you sign up? Let us know in the comments!

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/ ˈtrævlə; ˈtrævələ /

• a person who travels, esp habitually
• See travelling salesman
• sometimes capital a member of the travelling people
• a part of a mechanism that moves in a fixed course
• a thimble fitted to slide freely on a rope, spar, or rod
• the fixed rod on which such a thimble slides

Example Sentences

Such a requirement already existed for travellers from the UK, but this new extension brings the US in line with numerous other countries that already mandate the same.

Reed is originally from New Orleans and has been a long-time world traveller.

This is a new kind of hostel for a new generation of traveller.

Nadeau is a frequent contributor to CNN Traveller, Departures, Discovery and Grazia, and appears regularly on CNN, BBC and NPR.

She is a frequent contributor to CNN Traveller, Departures, Discovery and Grazia.

True to form, runs the story of V. S. Naipaul, the increasingly disenchanted traveller.

A colossal steam "traveller" had ceaselessly carried great blocks of stone and long steel girders from point to point.

He had the sun-scorched look of a traveller who has just crossed the Atlantic, and he smiled at Bernard with his honest eyes.

But the traveller took a wide tour; and did not bring the letter to its destination until two months after its date.

This gift of rice was especially pleasing to the traveller, as no dish is held in higher honour in Korea.

“Yes—tea,” answered the traveller with the keen grey eyes, turning, and poking the fire with the heel of his boot.

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NEWS... BUT NOT AS YOU KNOW IT

A new £6 compulsory travel fee will soon impact your European travel

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Dreaming of your next holiday ? Well if you’re booking it for the latter half of 2025 it’s going to be a tad more expensive .

Things are about to get more complicated as UK travellers will soon need a visa waiver that you have to pay for to travel to EU countries.

In the same way you’d apply for a visa to travel to non-European countries, soon there will be a requirement to get an approved document to travel to EU destinations .

Currently, no such documentation is required for UK travellers, but may not be the case for other non-European countries.

The new visa system, called the  European Travel Information and Authorisation System  (ETIAS) will mean travellers will have to pay €7 (£6) for it.

Travellers will need an official ETIAS visa waiver in order to keep visiting European countries.

The document is for trips which last up to 90 days and if you want to stay longer you’ll have to get a different visa.

However, you don’t need to get the ETIAS every time you go to Europe as one document will last three years.

Talks of the ETIAS have been happening for some time and it initally had a launch date of November 2023 but got pushed back.

There were other setbacks involving IT which has now meant that the ETIAS system is set to be introduced from summer 2025, meaning you can travel freely without needing the waiver at the moment.

But, fret not, the waiver – something other countries also have such as the U.S – is not going to prohibit most travellers.

A spokesman for the EU commission said that more than 95% of applications are expected to result in automatic approval.

It’s not just the UK which has to abide by ETIAS, as more than 60 other countries will have to get the waiver too.

The EU decided to implement ETIAS to improve security in the Schengen Area (which includes popular destinations such as Spain, Italy, France, Netherlands etc). By obtaining a travel authorisation, travellers will still undergo a security check prior to their arrival in the EU.

The waiver will also be required for travel to Cyprus, which is in the process of joining the Schengen Area.

ETIAS works by screening passengers arriving in the Schengen Area from third countries.

To protect against potential threats and ensure the integrity of Schengen’s external borders, data will be collected and assessed before passengers travel to Europe.

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Registered Traveller: faster entry through the UK border

Eligibility.

To apply for Registered Traveller membership, you must be 18 or older and have an eligible passport.

You must also either:

• have a UK visa or entry clearance
• have visited the UK at least 4 times in the last 24 months

It counts as visiting when you enter the UK from another country. It does not count if you’re just passing through the UK on your way to another country.

Eligible passports

Botswana, Seychelles.

Brunei, Hong Kong (Special Administrative Region passports only), Macao Special Administrative Region, Malaysia, Maldives, Taiwan (if your passport has a personal ID number on the photo page).

Andorra, Monaco, Vatican City State.

Middle East

North america.

Bahamas, Mexico, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.

Nauru, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Tonga.

South and Central America

Argentina, Belize, Brazil, Chile, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Trinidad and Tobago, Uruguay.

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Meaning of traveller in Essential English Dictionary

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(Definition of traveller from the Cambridge Essential Dictionary © Cambridge University Press)

Translations of traveller

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Word of the Day

bank holiday

an official holiday when banks and most businesses are closed for a day

Trial, judge, and jury: talking about what happens when a criminal is caught

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