waif
0 antonyms and opposites of waif, grouped by meaning.
Noun — A person, especially a child, who is thin, pale and homeless or uncared for.
Synonyms by Meaning
1. noun
A person, especially a child, who is thin, pale and homeless or uncared for.
“The film opens on a waif begging outside the station.”
How to use waif
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
Literary and slightly dated in the homeless-child sense; alive and current in fashion writing, where "waifish" is the usual adjective. The set phrase is "waifs and strays".
Etymology
From Anglo-Norman French waif "ownerless property, stray", originally a legal term for goods abandoned by a thief in flight.
Full origin of waif →Frequently asked questions
Is calling someone a waif an insult?
It is not usually hostile, but it is loaded. It suggests fragility and neglect, and describing an adult woman as a waif can sound belittling even when meant admiringly.
What does waifs and strays mean?
It is a fixed phrase for people or animals with nobody to look after them. It is also used lightly for leftover odds and ends collected together.