A wayfarer is someone who travels on foot, especially over long distances. In medieval times, wayfarers were common sights on country roads: pilgrims heading to holy sites, merchants walking between towns, or wanderers seeking work or adventure.

Unlike a casual walker taking a stroll around the neighborhood, a wayfarer is on a real journey, covering serious ground with purpose. When Frodo leaves the Shire in The Lord of the Rings, he becomes a wayfarer, walking hundreds of miles toward Mount Doom.

The word has an old-fashioned, almost romantic sound to it. You wouldn't call someone driving to the grocery store a wayfarer, but you might use it to describe a hiker walking the Appalachian Trail or someone trekking across Europe with just a backpack.

Today we rarely use wayfarer in everyday conversation, though it appears in poetry, literature, and songs. A weary wayfarer is tired from the road. You might also see the word in names, like Wayfarer sunglasses, suggesting adventure and travel. The word captures something about the human spirit: our ancient impulse to set out walking toward the horizon, not quite knowing what we'll find.