walk like an Egyptian

verb

To walk with one arm horizontally at the side, with arm bent at the elbow facing up, and the other arm horizontally at the side with arm bent at the elbow facing down.

Ask AI about this wordChatGPTClaudePerplexityGoogle AIGrok

Meanings

verbwalk like an Egyptian (third-person singular simple present walks like an Egyptian, present participle walking like an Egyptian, simple past and past participle walked like an Egyptian)

present singular third person walks like an Egyptian · participle present walking like an Egyptian · participle past walked like an Egyptian · past walked like an Egyptian

  1. humoroussimileTo walk with one arm horizontally at the side, with arm bent at the elbow facing up, and the other arm horizontally at the side with arm bent at the elbow facing down.

    “Get ready for pharaohs, pyramids and walking like an Egyptian.” He held bent arms in front and behind him. A laugh bubbled through the room as Mac walked back to his desk and found his Egypt teaching plan.

    2008, Patricia S. Otto, The Gelidus Factor, page 28

Origin

Such figures are sometimes depicted in this pose in ancient Egyptian art.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

walk like an Egyptian. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/walk%20like%20an%20Egyptian

MLA

“walk like an Egyptian.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/walk%20like%20an%20Egyptian. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “walk like an Egyptian,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/walk%20like%20an%20Egyptian.

Source: walk like an Egyptian on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.