Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “vagabond” come from?

Vagabond comes from Old French vagabond, from Late Latin vagabundus, from Latin vagari meaning to wander.

vagabond (English): A person on a trip of indeterminate destination...

Definitions

  1. A person on a trip of indeterminate destination...

Ancestry of “vagabond”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Frenchvagabond—
2Late Latinvagabundusstrolling about
3Latinvagaripresent active infinitive of vagor; to wander,...
4Latinvaguswandering, rambling, strolling; uncertain, vague
5Proto-Italicwagos—
6Proto-Indo-EuropeanHwogos—

Words derived from “vagabond”

  • vagabondism
  • vagabonding
  • vagabondish
  • vagabondize
  • vagabondry
  • vagabondise
Every word from Proto-Indo-European Hwogos →