Meaning & use
panhandler
Last updated
A person who begs for money in a public place, such as a street or park.
See it in a sentence
A panhandler stood near the subway entrance asking commuters for change.
The city debated new rules restricting where panhandlers could ask for donations.
A note on using this word
Chiefly American English; 'beggar' is the more common term for the same thing in British English.
Words with a similar meaning
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