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Glite Dictionary
pelican crossing

pelican crossing

4.7
A place on the road where people press a button to stop traffic and cross
  • noun
  • /ˈpɛlɪkən ˈkrɔːsɪŋ/
  • UK
translation icon : paso de peatones con semáforo
  • When the light turns green at the pelican crossing, pedestrians can safely cross the road.

Examples

  • The pelican crossing allows pedestrians to cross safely.

  • A pelican crossing makes it easier for people to stop traffic and cross busy streets.

  • Drivers must stop when the signal changes at a pelican crossing near schools.

  • You must wait for the green light at the pelican crossing.

  • The teacher explained that we need to stop at the pelican crossing when the light turns red.

  • Before crossing the street, make sure to press the button at the pelican crossing to stop the traffic.

  • Children were taught to wait for the green light at the pelican crossing before they crossed the road.

Synonyms

crosswalk
vspelican crossing
  • US
21 1.0

A marked part of a road where people cross safely

is a specific form that uses traffic lights people press to stop vehicles
pedestrian crossing
vspelican crossing
  • UK
1 1.3

A marked place on a road where drivers must stop for people to cross

is a specific type that uses traffic lights controlled by people

How Safe

pelican crossing
  • UK
4.7
crosswalk
  • US
21 1.0

Surface Forms

pelican crossing singular
pelican crossings plural

Morphology

pelican + crossing

The component 'pelican' is literally a bird and gives no semantic cue to pedestrian-controlled traffic lights, while 'crossing' only signals a place to cross. The compound is a conventionalized, region-specific traffic term whose specific meaning (a pedestrian light-controlled crossing) cannot be derived from the constituents, so a B1 learner knowing the parts would not reliably infer the MWE meaning.

Etymology

Pelican crossing may come from a simple letter game: people used the first letters of the words pedestrian, light and controlled to make the word 'PELICAN'. That is why the name fits a crossing where people walking press buttons to stop traffic and cross safely.