Why do we refer to an illegal pedestrian street crosser as a “jaywalker”? The word is of American origin, and is almost unheard of outside the United States. In most other nations, pedestrians are encouraged to cross streets via designated areas, but crossing in the middle of a block or dashing between cars in heavy traffic is not illegal.

The term “jaywalking” first appeared in 1917, about the same time that automobiles were starting to outnumber horse-drawn vehicles. Also around that time, the word “jay” was a slang term used to describe a foolish or naïve person, or a “rube.” (In his song “Forty-Five Minutes from Broadway,” George M. Cohan mocked New Rochelle as a hick town by referring to the “jay atmosphere.”) So a person who was foolish enough to disregard his personal safety and cross a busy street outside of the prescribed areas was branded a “jaywalker,” which had to serve as glancing blow until other words like “gomer” were coined.