panhandler

American  

[pan-hand-ler] / ˈpænˌhænd lər /

noun

1. a person who accosts passers-by on the street, riders on the subway, motorists stopped at red lights, etc., and begs from them.

   A panhandler used to stop me every morning outside this coffee shop, asking me for spare change.

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Etymology

Origin of panhandler

First recorded in 1890–95; panhandle ² + -er ¹ ( def. )

Explanation

Someone who asks people for money in a public place is a panhandler. The term is fairly derogatory, but it's commonly used for those whose mainly support themselves this way. It's best to avoid vaguely offensive terms like panhandler and beggar altogether — people asking for handouts have identities beyond begging for money or food. Still, it's good to know what panhandler means, and interesting to guess at its origin. Experts are split on this, believing it may stem from the shape of a pan, its handle extended like a begging arm; or that it arose from pans used as containers for people to toss change in.

Example Sentences

Yet, during my visit, I was also hit up by a panhandler as if to perfectly underscore that there are two Americas showing up at the most American of American restaurants.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 8, 2026

Shortly after moving here, I was approached by a panhandler in the parking garage of the Beverly Center.

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 26, 2024

Mr. Slaughter, a panhandler, exchanged words with Mr. Valdivia, which fueled the confrontation.

From Washington Times • Dec. 3, 2022

In terms of exegesis, only an extended riff about a subway panhandler and “The Rime of the Ancient Mariner” feels a bit overplayed.

From New York Times • Mar. 15, 2021

She just lay in bed and saw her $12,000 diamond necklace go without a chirp, while she begged like a panhandler to have back a little thin gold ring with a garnet worth about $3.

From The Voice of the City: Further Stories of the Four Million by Henry, O.

Related Words

• beggar
• mendicant