waif Hear it!

waif definition

waif (wāf)

noun

  1. anything found by chance that is without an owner
  2. a person without home or friends; esp., a homeless child
  3. a stray animal
  4. waft ()
  5. Law
    1. a piece of property found but claimed by nobody
    2. Obsolete stolen goods discarded by a thief in flight

Etymology: ME < NormFr, prob. < ON veif, anything flapping about < veifa, to wave, swing < IE *weip-, to turn, var. of *weib- > L vibrare, to vibrate

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2009 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Comments
Improve this definition.
Do you have more to add? Share your linguistic knowledge or observation.
/Register to save your comments.