noun
Formal or literary term for a person who travels or wanders, often with a poetic or classical feel. Not used in everyday conversation.
彼は故郷を離れ、遊子として各地を巡った。
He left his hometown and traveled around as a wanderer.
旅人 is a common, neutral word for 'traveler', while 遊子 is a formal/literary term with a more poetic or classical nuance.
Composed of 遊 (play, wander) and 子 (person). The exact historical derivation is uncertain; it is a literary Sino-Japanese word.