waif
/weɪf/
NOUN
1. A homeless or abandoned child
A homeless, abandoned, or neglected child who lacks proper care, protection, or a stable home.
1.1. An abandoned or homeless child
A vulnerable child who has been abandoned, lost, or left without a home or adequate parental care.
Synonyms
- foundling
- orphan
- castaway
- urchin
- street child
- ragamuffin
Examples
- The charitable organization dedicated itself to providing shelter and support for every waif in need.
- The compassionate couple decided to adopt the orphaned waif and give her a loving home.
Related Words
- abandoned child
- homeless child
- foster child
- runaway
1.2. A thin and vulnerable-looking person
A person, often a young woman or child, who appears unusually thin, fragile, or neglected.
Synonyms
- gamine
- ragamuffin
- urchin
Examples
- The artist portrayed a hauntingly beautiful waif in the painting, capturing the essence of vulnerability and resilience.
Related Words
NOUN
2. A plant growing outside its native range
A plant introduced to an area beyond its natural geographic range that does not become permanently established or naturalized.
2.1. An occasional non-native plant
A plant that appears outside its native habitat, usually through accidental introduction, but fails to establish a persistent self-sustaining population.
Synonyms
- casual alien plant
- casual species
Examples
- The botanist recorded the waif growing beside the railway but found no evidence of an established population.
Related Words
- introduced plant
- non-native species
- naturalized plant
- adventive species
NOUN
3. Unclaimed or ownerless property
An article of property found or abandoned whose owner is unknown or cannot be identified.
3.1. Goods found without an identifiable owner
Lost, abandoned, or discarded property that has no known owner and may be subject to legal rules governing found goods.
Synonyms
- lost property
- unclaimed goods
- found property
- ownerless goods
Examples
- The authorities treated the recovered waif as unclaimed property until its rightful owner could be identified.
Related Words
3.2. Something appearing by chance
An object or thing that turns up unexpectedly or seemingly by accident, without an apparent owner or intended destination.
Synonyms
- stray
- castaway
- drift
Examples
- The small object was treated as a waif among the collection of unidentified belongings.
Related Words
- chance find
- orphaned object
- discarded item