waif
waif
UK[weɪf]US[weɪf]
n
a person, especially a child, who is thin and looks as if they need care and protection
n
a homeless and helpless person, especially a neglected or abandoned child
Etymology
the word 'waif' entered middle english from the anglo-norman french 'waif' or 'gaif', which itself has old norse origins, likely related to 'veif' meaning 'something flapping or waving'. the original legal sense in english referred to stolen goods that were thrown away by a thief in flight, or property found ownerless. from this notion of being abandoned or cast aside, the meaning evolved to describe a piece of property without an owner, and then, by the 18th century, was applied metaphorically to a person, especially a child, who is homeless, neglected, or forsaken. this poignant shift from an object to a person encapsulates the word's journey from a term of law to one of human condition.
Analysis
this word is a simplex loanword from old norse. its form and meaning have been borrowed as a whole unit into english.
Examples
the novel tells the story of a young waif surviving on the streets of london.
she had the delicate, wistful look of a waif in the photographs.
the charity was established to help the waifs and strays of the city.