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.
Phrases and idioms:
waifs and strays 1 homeless or neglected children.
2 odds and ends.
Derivatives:
waifish adj.
Etymology: ME f. AF waif, weif, ONF gaif, prob. of Scand. orig.