An itinerant worker, performer, or professional is someone who travels from place to place to do their job, rather than staying in one location.

Throughout history, many important workers have been itinerant. Itinerant judges rode horseback from town to town holding court in frontier America. Itinerant preachers traveled between small communities that couldn't support a full-time minister. Itinerant teachers moved between rural schools, spending a few months in each location.

During the Great Depression of the 1930s, millions of Americans became itinerant workers, traveling across the country looking for farm work, construction jobs, or any way to earn money. Today, some nurses, consultants, and entertainers work as itinerants, going wherever their skills are needed.

The word emphasizes purposeful travel for work, not just wandering. An itinerant musician might tour small towns playing concerts, while an itinerant craftsperson might visit different communities to demonstrate their trade. Some people choose this lifestyle for adventure or independence, though historically, many were itinerants because economic circumstances forced them to keep moving to find work.