vagrancy

American  

[vey-gruhn-see] / ˈveɪ grən si /

noun

plural

vagrancies

1. the state or condition of being a vagrant.

   an arrest for vagrancy.

2. the conduct of a vagrant.

3. mental wandering; reverie.

---

vagrancy British  

/ ˈveɪɡrənsɪ /

noun

1. the state or condition of being a vagrant

2. the conduct or mode of living of a vagrant

---

Other Word Forms

• nonvagrancy noun

Etymology

Origin of vagrancy

First recorded in 1635–45; vagr(ant) + -ancy

Explanation

Vagrancy is a legal term that's used to talk about people who are experiencing homelessness. In many places, the category of vagrancy includes things like loitering and panhandling. Arresting people for vagrancy — essentially for not having a permanent home — has been controversial for a long time in the U.S. Opponents consider such a charge to be unconstitutional, since it's not a crime to be so poor or disenfranchised that you don't have a place to live and must rely on charity. Still, many people connect vagrancy with crime and laziness. The Germanic root of this word means "wander."

Example Sentences

In essence, it was a vagrancy ordinance by another name.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 10, 2025

Once released from prison, she emigrated to New York where in 1902 there is a record of her being placed in a workhouse as punishment for vagrancy.

From BBC • May 22, 2025

Many were jailed for petty offenses like loitering and vagrancy.

From Seattle Times • Jan. 29, 2024

Whyte said that since in-person court hearings have stopped, the neighborhood had hired a homeless outreach coordinator to try to address vagrancy in the neighborhood.

From Salon • Dec. 1, 2022

Clearly, the purpose of the black codes in general and the vagrancy laws in particular was to establish another system of forced labor.

From "The New Jim Crow" by Michelle Alexander