Waif

The word waif (from the Old French guaif, stray beast) refers to a living creature removed, by hardship, loss or other helpless circumstance, from his or her original surroundings. The most common usage is to designate a homeless, forsaken or orphaned child, or someone whose appearance is evocative of same. As such, the term is similar to a ragamuffin or street urchin, although the main distinction is volitional: a runaway youth might live on the... more

The word waif (from the Old French guaif, stray beast) refers to a living creature removed, by hardship, loss or other helpless circumstance, from his or her original surroundings. The most common usage is to designate a homeless, forsaken or orphaned child, or someone whose appearance is evocative of same. As such, the term is similar to a ragamuffin or street urchin, although the main distinction is volitional: a runaway youth might live on the streets, but would not properly be called a waif as the departure from one's home was an exercise of free will. Likewise, a person fleeing their home for purposes of safety (as in response to political oppression or natural disaster), is typically considered not a waif but a refugee. Orphaned children, left to fend for themselves, are common as literary protagonists, especially in children's and fantasy literature. The characters Heathcliff in Emily Brontë's 1847 novel Wuthering Heights and Pip in Charles Dickens' 1861 novel Great... less