vagabond
Americanadjective
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wandering from place to place without any settled home; nomadic.
a vagabond tribe.
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leading an unsettled or carefree life.
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disreputable; worthless; shiftless.
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of, relating to, or characteristic of a vagabond.
vagabond habits.
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having an uncertain or irregular course or direction.
a vagabond voyage.
noun
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a person with no fixed home
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an idle wandering beggar or thief
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(modifier) of or like a vagabond; shiftless or idle
Synonym Usage
See vagrant.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of vagabond
First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English vagabound (from Old French vagabond ), from Late Latin vagābundus “wandering, vagrant,” equivalent to Latin vagā(rī) “to wander” + -bundus adjective suffix
Explanation
A vagabond is someone who moves around a lot. Picture Boxcar Willie, bandana on a stick thrown over his shoulder, going wherever the breeze takes him. Vagabond can also be an adjective, a nomadic tribe is a vagabond one, or the person who moved eight times in two years is living a vagabond life. It's from the Latin word vagabundus (from vagari, "wander") which means "inclined to wander." So — if you were born a ramblin' man, you might just be a vagabond.
Vocabulary lists containing vagabond
"The Odyssey" by Homer, Books 14–18
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Bless Me, Ultima
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Tolkien Reading Day, List 1
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
“I’ve just been in here,” said Simril, 68, from the Vagabond via telephone.
From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 13, 2023
Vagabond said that he puts a lot of thought into his cocktails, using specific liqueurs and infusing them with herbs like mint and basil, which requires extra time and effort.
From New York Times • May 28, 2022
I picked the Vagabond class, a well-rounded and balanced fighter coming with a shield, long sword, Halberd and all that facial customization covered with a helmet and body in silver armor.
From Washington Times • Mar. 23, 2022
Nomadland is a less alienating and, in the end, more affirming exploration of female solitude on the margins than the profoundly sad Vagabond.
From Slate • Dec. 30, 2020
For a moment there was silence in the cockpit of the Vagabond.
From Four Afloat Being the Adventures of the Big Four on the Water by Barbour, Ralph Henry
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
