ambulate

/ˌæmbjəˈleɪt/

Other forms: ambulating; ambulates; ambulated

To ambulate is simply to move, especially by walking. You might ambulate proudly down the halls of your high school, hoping everyone notices your new red cowboy boots.

Use the verb ambulate when you need a technical or formal way to talk about someone moving by their own power. A hospital patient might be relieved to finally ambulate on her crutches after breaking her leg, and three-legged dogs usually manage to ambulate perfectly well without the missing limb. The Latin root of ambulate is ambulare, "to walk."

Definitions of ambulate

1. verb

   walk about; not be bedridden or incapable of walking
   type of:

   walk

   use one's feet to advance; advance by steps