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waif
[ weyf ]
/ weɪf /
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noun
a person, especially a child, who has no home or friends.
something found, especially a stray animal, whose owner is not known.
a very thin, often small person, usually a young woman.
a stray item or article: to gather waifs of gossip.
Nautical. waft (def. 8).
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Origin of waif
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Anglo-French, originally “lost, stray (animal), unclaimed (property)” (compare Old French guaif “stray beast”), from Scandinavian; compare Old Norse veif “movement to and fro, something waving, flag”; see waive
Words nearby waif
Wahpeton, wah-wah, wai, Waianae Mountains, waiata, waif, Waikaremoana, Waikato, Waikiki, wail, wailful
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
How to use waif in a sentence
British Dictionary definitions for waif
waif
/ (weɪf) /
noun
a person, esp a child, who is homeless, friendless, or neglected
anything found and not claimed, the owner being unknown
nautical another name for waft (def. 5)
law obsolete a stolen article thrown away by a thief in his flight and forfeited to the Crown or to the lord of the manor
Derived forms of waif
waiflike, adjectiveWord Origin for waif
C14: from Anglo-Norman, variant of Old Northern French gaif, of Scandinavian origin; related to Old Norse veif a flapping thing
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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