ENGLISH DICTIONARY

Hobo

Definition, Meaning & Examples

Pronunciation /ˈhəʊ.bəʊ/ · Part of speech noun

Quick meaning: Hobo is a noun meaning (Canada, US) Any migratory laborer, whether homeless or not.

Meaning

(Canada, US) Any migratory laborer, whether homeless or not.

More Meanings

  1. A kind of large handbag.
  2. (intransitive, perhaps pejorative) To be a hobo, tramp, bum etc.
  3. (Canada, US) A wandering homeless person, especially (historical) one illegally travelling by rail or (derogatory) a penniless, unemployed bum.

Example Sentences

Avoid bulky styles such as duffle sacks, buckets, doctors' satchels, and hobos.
Joe idly hoboed through half the country till he realized hoboing never gets you anywhere in life.
He’d heard the word hobo used for travelers, heard it was short for homeward bound, or homeless boy, or Hoboken having something to do with New Jersey.

Word Forms

Synonyms for hobo

Depending on context, synonyms include tramp.

Related Words

Related dictionary entries include tramp, bindlestiff, homeless, homelessness, beggar, vagrant.

Related Dictionary Tools

Sources & Attribution

FreeDictionaryAPI.com / Wiktionary · Original source · CC BY-SA 4.0

Dictionary data is provided by FreeDictionaryAPI.com and sourced from Wiktionary under its stated license.