waif, n.1 and adj. Pronunciation: /weɪf/ Forms: Pl. waifs.
Forms: Pl. waifs. Forms: ME–17 wayf, ME–18 waife, ME wayffe, ME, 16 weif, 15 wayfe, wayff, 15–16 weife, 16 wafe, waiefe,weyfe, wayve, waive, wave, 18 waiff, 15– waif. Also pl.ME, 16 wayves, ME weyves, 15 wavys, 15–16 waives. See also weft n.1
Etymology: < Anglo-Norman waif, wayf (Sk.), weif, weyf (Britton), gwayf (in Kennett), (Anglo-Latin waivum , wayvium , weyvium ) = Old French (Norman) gaif , gayf (feminine gaive , gayve ) noun and adjective; early modern French (Cotgrave) vuayves (noun), and (choses ) guesves or gayves ; probably of Scandinavian origin, with the primary sense ‘something loose or wandering’; compare Old Norseveif something flapping or waving (compare waif n.2), related to veifa transitive to wave, vibrate. Compare waive v.2
A. n.1
1. Law.
a. A piece of property which is found ownerless and which, if unclaimed within a fixed period after due notice given, falls to the lord of the manor; e.g. an article washed up on the seashore, an animal that has strayed. Often waif and stray or †straif : cf. stray n. 1, straif n.Not evidenced as English before 1377.b. esp. A person who is without home or friends; one who lives uncared-for or without guidance; an outcast from society; an unowned or neglected child.B. adj. and attrib.1. attrib. or appositive (indicating lost property, a strayed animal, a homeless person, etc.).2. adj. (Sc.)a. Stray, wandering, homeless: = waff adj. 1.b. Applied to a report or saying: Floating, current. rare.c. Poor or inferior in quality; = waff adj. 2.Comb., as waif-like adj.; waif-wise adv.Derivativesˈwaifish adj.1936 S. Smith Novel on Yellow Paper 220 Such..wispish, waifish progeny.1977 Time 31 Jan. 21/3 The waifish face beneath the jaunty white cap never loses its ethereal Pre-Raphaelite look.ˈwaifishly adv.1980 Times Lit. Suppl. 20 June 703/1 Hurricane’s Samoan scenery is enticingly picturesque: doesn’t art student Charlotte—waifishly played by Mia Farrow—arrive on her vacation exclaiming ‘I can’t wait to get out my paintbox’?
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