reisender

Reisender is a German noun meaning a person who travels from one place to another, often for reasons such as work, study, exploration, or leisure. The term is gendered in its inflected forms: der Reisende (masculine singular), die Reisende (feminine singular), and die Reisenden (plural, used for groups including one or more male or unknown genders). The present-participle form reisend also appears as an adjective, as in ein reisender Mann.

Etymology and usage: Reisender derives from the verb reisen with the agent suffix -er, forming a standard German noun for a person who travels. It is related to the English traveler. The term emphasizes the act of traveling itself rather than the mode of transportation or the purpose of the trip. In everyday language it sits between neutral terms like Passagier (passenger) and Touristin/Tourist (tourist) and carries a broader, often literary or formal tone.

Contexts: The word is common in travel writing, biographies, historical accounts, and formal descriptions of movement or journeys. It can describe someone who travels for study, work, or exploration, and is frequently used in plural to refer to travelers in general or in a group context. In modern usage, Reisender may appear in both prose and more studied registers, while everyday speech often relies on more specific terms depending on the situation.

See also: Reise, Reisen; Reisende as a plural form; related terms include Passagier and Tourist, which describe different aspects of travel.