zebra crossing
zebra crossing
Noun
pl: zebra crossings
This term is primarily used in British English and other Commonwealth nations. In North American English, the term pedestrian crossing or crosswalk is far more common, making zebra crossing sound distinctly foreign or overly descriptive to an American speaker.
Because it describes a specific visual pattern of stripes, the term is used literally for these marked areas. It is rarely used metaphorically, though it may appear in legal or traffic-related contexts to specify the exact type of crossing where priority rules apply.