What does saunter mean?
Word: Saunter
Part of Speech: Verb
Meaning: Saunter means to walk in a slow, relaxed way, with no need to hurry.
Synonyms: amble
How do you spell saunter?
Syllables: saun - ter
Tricky part: The opening vowel is the 'aw' sound, as in saw, but it is spelt au. Children often write sawnter or sonter.
Watch out for: sawnter, sonter
Memory tip: Saunter begins with the same three letters as sauce: picture a waiter sauntering over with a jug of sauce.
Saunter in a sentence
Example 1: On Sunday mornings Grandpa likes to saunter round the lake with his friends.
Example 2: The cat sauntered across the garden as if it owned the whole street.
Example 3: We sauntered along a beach in Cornwall, collecting shells.
Fun Fact
Even word experts do not know for certain where saunter came from: dictionaries give its origin as unknown.
Practise the CREST Way
Spellacadabra
Choose the correct option to make a meaningful word:
saunt__
a) re
b) ar
c) or
d) er
Show answer
d) er. The word ends the same way as wander, another slow way of moving about.
Word Puzzle
Match each word with its synonym:
1. saunter 2. gobble 3. whisper a. murmur b. stroll c. devour
a) 1-c, 2-a, 3-b
b) 1-b, 2-c, 3-a
c) 1-a, 2-c, 3-b
d) 1-b, 2-a, 3-c
Show answer
b) 1-b, 2-c, 3-a. To gobble is to devour food fast, and a whisper is a soft murmur, which leaves the slow walk.
Sound Check
In which word is 'au' pronounced differently?
a) pause
b) launch
c) saunter
d) laugh
Show answer
d) laugh. Laugh has the long a of car. The others share the aw sound of saw.
Spell Probe
Find the misspelt word in the sentence and choose its meaning:
On holidays we saunter through the park and then enjoy a leisurly picnic under the old banyan tree.
a) a large tree whose branches drop roots to the ground
b) done slowly, without any need to rush
c) a meal eaten outdoors, often on a cloth
d) to walk along in a calm, easy way
Show answer
b) done slowly, without any need to rush. Leisurely keeps the e before its ly, and it means unhurried.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. Which person is most likely sauntering?
a) a runner sprinting hard towards the finish line
b) a man wandering by the river, enjoying the breeze
c) a boy hopping on one foot during a game
d) a girl racing to catch the school bus on time
Show answer
b) a man wandering by the river, enjoying the breeze
2. Why might someone saunter rather than run?
a) they want to win a race
b) they want to enjoy the view
c) they are late for a train
d) they must catch a bus
Show answer
b) they want to enjoy the view
