Etymology unclear. Attested in the sense “to stroll” from the 1660s; noun sense “a stroll” attested 1828.^[1] Likely from earlier term meaning “to muse”, late 15th century, from late Middle English santren, of unknown origin.^[1] Competing theories exist:

• From Anglo-Norman sauntrer (mid 14th century), from Middle French s'aventurer (“to take risks”); however this is considered unlikely by the OED.^[2] Compare Middle English aunter (“adventure”).^[3]
• Of Germanic origin, with proposed cognates including German schlendern, Dutch slenteren, Danish slentre, Swedish släntra, and Icelandic slentur, all meaning “to stroll”.^[4]
• From Old French sentier (“path”).^[5] In this case, santren would reflect earlier *sa(u)nteren, *senteren /sa(u̯)nˈteːrən/, /sɛnˈteːrən/, with Late Middle English stress shift and concomitant vowel reduction.

Various fanciful folk etymologies have also been given.^[6][7]

• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˈsɔntɚ/
• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈsɔːntə/

• Audio (Southern England):

  (file)

• (cot–caught merger) IPA^(key): /ˈsɑntɚ/
• Rhymes: -ɔːntə(ɹ)

saunter (third-person singular simple present saunters, present participle sauntering, simple past and past participle sauntered)

1. (intransitive) To stroll, or walk at a leisurely pace.

   Synonyms: amble, stroll, wander

   • 1858-1880, David Masson, The Life Of John Milton: 1649-1654

     One could lie under elm trees in a lawn, or saunter in meadows by the side of a stream.

   • 1919, Henry B[lake] Fuller, “Cope at His House Party”, in Bertram Cope’s Year: A Novel, Chicago, Ill.: Ralph Fletcher Seymour, The Alderbrink Press, →OCLC, page 94:

     Meanwhile the young ladies sauntered along—before or behind, as the case might be—in the company of the young business-man and that of another youth who had come out independently on the trolley.

   • 1986 November 24, Susan Sontag, “The Way We Live Now”, in The New Yorker‎^[2]:

     And, after all, they were once very close, doesn’t Lewis still have the keys to his apartment, you know the way you let someone keep the keys after you’ve broken up, only a little because you hope the person might just saunter in, drunk or high, late some evening, […]

saunter (plural saunters)

1. A leisurely walk or stroll.
   • 1814, Elizabeth Hervey, Amabel, volume 1, page 53:

     Caroline […] begged that the drive might be given up for a saunter about the gardens […]

2. A leisurely pace.
3. (obsolete) A place for sauntering or strolling.
   • 1725–1728, [Edward Young], “(please specify the page)”, in Love of Fame, the Universal Passion. In Seven Characteristical Satires, 4th edition, London: […] J[acob] and R[ichard] Tonson […], published 1741, →OCLC:

     That wheel of fops, that saunter of the town.

• Transue, aunters, natuers, natures, sea turn, seruant, tea urns, tea-urns, unrates