n. 1 a homeless and helpless person, esp. an abandoned child. 2 an ownerless object or animal, a thing cast up by or drifting in the sea or brought by an unknown agency. waifs and strays 1 homeless or neglected children. 2 odds and ends. waifish adj.
[ ME f. AF waif, weif, ONF gaif, prob. of Scand. orig. ]