Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “vagrant” come from?

Vagrant comes from Middle English vagraunt, from Anglo-Norman wakerant, from Old French waucrant, meaning one who wanders or roams.

vagrant (English): A person who wanders from place to place; a...

Definitions

  1. A person who wanders from place to place; a...

Ancestry of “vagrant”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishvagrauntperson without proper employment; person without...
2Anglo-Normanvagarant—
3Old Frenchwaucrantroaming, wandering

Words derived from “vagrant”

  • vagrancy
  • vagrom
  • vagrantly
  • antivagrancy
  • vagrantness
Every word from Old French waucrant →