promenade

1 of 2

verb

prom·​e·​nade ˌprä-mə-ˈnād How to pronounce promenade (audio) -ˈnäd How to pronounce promenade (audio)
promenaded; promenading

intransitive verb

1
: to take or go on a promenade
2
: to perform a promenade in a dance

transitive verb

: to walk about in or on
promenader noun

promenade

2 of 2

noun

1
: a place for strolling
2
: a leisurely walk or ride especially in a public place for pleasure or display
3
a
: a ceremonious opening of a formal ball consisting of a grand march of all the guests
b
: a figure in a square dance in which couples move counterclockwise in a circle

Examples of promenade in a Sentence

Verb They promenaded along the beach. Noun They went for a promenade around town. a beautifully landscaped park with a wide promenade along the riverside
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
The British answer to the Met Gala, it is celebrated during the first week of December at the Royal Albert Hall, with several thousand guests and a vast red carpet on which celebrities promenade under a wintry night sky. Elizabeth Paton, New York Times, 5 Dec. 2023 In Bridgerton, the park is meant to represent a park in London where all of the ton spend their afternoons promenading, boating, picnicking, and of course, gossiping. Rachel Silva, ELLE Decor, 8 Sep. 2023 Later, hundreds of naked bike riders promenaded around the event, most wearing hats to protect from the hot sun. Trevor Hughes, USA TODAY, 1 Sep. 2023 Noah McWilliams’s two-monitor video divides a promenading entity from its legs, which are relegated to the lower screen. Mark Jenkins, Washington Post, 18 Aug. 2023 Read full article Cooper commanded an equally ghoulish and genteel stage presence, promenading with his signature cane and top hat beneath a massive set of inflatable fangs protruding from the ceiling. Victoria Wasylak, BostonGlobe.com, 29 July 2023 Offshore, fishing boats promenaded past, noses in the air, and returned heavier the other way. Maggie Shipstead Anthony Cotsifas, New York Times, 10 May 2023 The beach acts as Rio de Janiero's social hub (especially on weekends), with locals sunbathing, promenading, and playing volleyball, and vendors selling everything from popsicles and shrimp skewers to caipirinhas and ice-cold beer. Anne Olivia Bauso, Travel + Leisure, 27 Mar. 2023 The theme of the festival is ADAPTATION and visitors will have the opportunity to promenade through new installations that will help them re-connect with nature. Sandra MacGregor, Forbes, 4 May 2022
Noun
These include Bordighera, an elegant town with many Belle Epoque villas and the longest seaside promenade in Liguria; and Alassio, a lively haven with fine sandy beaches, a family-friendly atmosphere and an Anglo flavor, a legacy of the English travelers who began visiting in the 1800s. Catherine Sabino, Forbes, 27 Feb. 2024 The zoning changes would allow for 20- to 30-story buildings, and create one-way streets, lots of bike lanes and new public promenades. Phillip Molnar, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 Nov. 2023 Cherry trees feature prominently in the Japanese garden’s eight acres, including a cherry tree promenade known for its stunning spring blooms and trees lining the shore near the Zig-Zag Bridge. Evie Carrick, Travel + Leisure, 23 Feb. 2024 The 214-room eco-hotel is in Lima’s most popular neighborhood for travelers, Miraflores, just two blocks from the city’s famed malecón promenade above the Pacific. Johanna Read, Forbes, 22 Feb. 2024 When an African man selling trinkets on a promenade tries to befriend her, Jacqueline recoils from his gestures of solidarity. David Fear, Rolling Stone, 14 Feb. 2024 But a 1998 law helped create Hudson River Park, a constellation of public and green spaces four miles long — from Battery Park City to West 59th Street in Hell’s Kitchen — including dog runs, playgrounds, sports complexes, restaurants and entertainment venues connected by a manicured promenade. Alexandra E. Petri, Los Angeles Times, 26 Nov. 2023 European tourists smoked cigars on the promenade while Zuzalu attendees bounded around making plans for excursions and exercise and shuttles to a private Grimes show later on. Kaitlyn Tiffany, The Atlantic, 5 Feb. 2024 The parking lots would gradually give way to a new neighborhood of more than 1,000 residential units over the next decade, plus restaurants and shops, a public promenade, parking and other amenities. Kenneth R. Gosselin, Hartford Courant, 17 Jan. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'promenade.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Verb

derivative of promenade entry 2

Noun

borrowed from French, "place for taking a stroll," from promener (transitive) "to lead, take to different places," (intransitive and reflexive) "to walk from one place to another (to relax, take the air, etc.)" (alteration —with Latin pro- replacing pour-— of Middle French pourmener "to lead, take to different places," going back to Old French, from pour-, prefix marking determinate action —going back to Latin prō- pro- entry 2— + mener "to lead, bring") + -ade -ade — more at demean entry 2

First Known Use

Verb

1699, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Noun

1567, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of promenade was in 1567

Dictionary Entries Near promenade

Cite this Entry

“Promenade.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/promenade. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

promenade

1 of 2 noun
prom·​e·​nade ˌpräm-ə-ˈnād How to pronounce promenade (audio) -ˈnäd How to pronounce promenade (audio)
1
: a walk or ride for pleasure or to be seen
2
: a place for strolling
3
: a part of a square dance in which couples move counterclockwise in a circle

promenade

2 of 2 verb
promenaded; promenading
1
: to take a stroll in public
2
: to perform a promenade in a dance

More from Merriam-Webster on promenade

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!