skywalker

English

WOTD – 4 May 2016

Lewis Hine's photograph of a workman on the framework of the Empire State Building in New York City, New York, USA, c. 1941–1942

Etymology

From sky ‎ walker.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈskaɪwɔːkə(ɹ)/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˈskaɪwɔkəɹ/

• Audio (General Australian):

  (file)

• Hyphenation: sky‧walk‧er

Noun

skywalker (plural skywalkers)

1. (usually figuratively) One who walks in the sky.
   1. (specifically) A member of the Mohawk group of Native Americans; especially one who is or was involved in steelworking on tall buildings in New York City.
      • 2004, Christopher Peterson, Martin E. P. Seligman [et al.], Character Strengths and Virtues: A Handbook and Classification, New York, N.Y.: Oxford University Press, →ISBN, page 227:

        A particularly brave tribe of Native Americans, the Mohawks, have been called skywalkers because of their ability to navigate heights (Hill, 1987). Members of the tribe became particularly well known when they assisted with the building of the Empire State Building and other Manhattan skyscrapers. […] Their membership in these small, tight-knit groups likely promoted bravery among the skywalkers.

   2. (by extension from the previous) Any ironworker working at a height.
   3. One who walks along a skywalk or skyway.
      • 1983, Industrial Photography, volume 32, United Business Publications, page lxxiii:

        […] and help individual skywalkers feel at home in their new surroundings. Many times, Seitz said, pedestrians will feel ill at ease on a skywalk at first because they have lost their street corner orientation.

      • 1989 March, Greg Evans, “Conventional Wisdom”, in Cincinnati, volume 22, number 6, CM Media Inc., →ISSN, page 48:

        And if you notice an unusually litter-free skywalk, don’t presume that your fellow skywalkers have taken it upon themselves to give a hoot.

      • 1998, Gregory Wolfe, Sacred Passion: The Art of William Schickel, University of Notre Dame Press, page 104:

        Since the view from the skywalk opened onto a huge expanse of brick—an adjacent building had been torn down—officials from the city decided that a wall painting would provide a beautiful and stimulating sight for the skywalkers.