gadabout.

A person who moves frequently between places or social activities in search of enjoyment.

Use it for

Words that belong together

• an inveterate gadabout
• a fashionable gadabout
• a restless gadabout

On the page

Her grandfather had been a gadabout before illness confined him to the house.

The diarist portrays the ambassador as a fashionable gadabout.

Usage notes

Primary category: literary / elevated prose. Lexical Type: Word. Forms: Singular gadabout; plural gadabouts. Commonness: uncommon (editorial estimate; not a corpus frequency statistic). Legacy lexical fields mirror sense 1; numbered fields keep each relevant meaning separate. Research distinction: Direct dictionary reading: a person flitting about in social activity; adjective also listed. Noun supplies distinct characterization, not merely a plural or inflection of gallivant. Attributive use acknowledged without inventing another major meaning. Individual usefulness checked for a precise literary, narrative, dialogue or critical function. Definitions and examples are original; commonness is an editorial estimate. Mood and intensity apply only to inherent qualities of the specific sense. Writing functions: restless social pleasure-seeking, naming someone constantly out at activities.