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Definitions for waif

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Random House Webster's College Dictionary

waif(n.)

  1. a person, esp. a child, who has no home.

  2. a stray animal, whose owner is not known.

  3. a stray item or article.

Origin of waif:

1350–1400; ME < AF, orig. lost, stray, unclaimed (cf. OF guaif stray beast) < Scand; cf. ON veif movement to and fro; see waive

Princeton's WordNet

  1. waif, street child(noun)

    a homeless child especially one forsaken or orphaned

    "street children beg or steal in order to survive"

Wiktionary

  1. waif(Noun)

    Goods found of which the owner is not known; originally, such goods as a pursued thief threw away to prevent being apprehended, which belonged to the king unless the owner made pursuit of the felon, took him, and brought him to justice.

  2. waif(Noun)

    Hence, anything found, or without an owner; that which comes along, as it were, by chance.

  3. waif(Noun)

    A wanderer; a castaway; a stray; a homeless child.

Webster Dictionary

  1. Waif(noun)

    goods found of which the owner is not known; originally, such goods as a pursued thief threw away to prevent being apprehended, which belonged to the king unless the owner made pursuit of the felon, took him, and brought him to justice

  2. Waif(noun)

    hence, anything found, or without an owner; that which comes along, as it were, by chance

  3. Waif(noun)

    a wanderer; a castaway; a stray; a homeless child

Translations for waif

Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary

waif(noun)

a stray, uncared-for child

a poor little waif.

Get even more translations for waif »

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