British term for pedestrian crossing with black and white stripes, named for resemblance to zebra stripes.
Zebra crossing
Etymology & History
British term for pedestrian crossing with black and white stripes, named for resemblance to zebra stripes. Introduced in Britain in 1951, named officially as 'zebra crossing'. Protected by law - vehicles must stop for pedestrians. Americans use 'crosswalk'. The specific naming reflects British tendency for vivid, descriptive terms.
Word Details
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Region
General British
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Era
Modern
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Language
Mild
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Formality
Informal
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Anglotopia's Dictionary of British English 2nd Edition
British Slang from A to Zed
By Jonathan Thomas
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