vagrant

1 of 2

noun

va·​grant ˈvā-grənt 

plural vagrants

1

a

usually disparaging : someone who has no established residence and wanders idly from place to place without lawful or visible means of support

b

: someone whose conduct constitutes vagrancy under state statute or other applicable law or regulation

2

: wanderer, rover

3

: an animal wandering outside its normal geographic range

especially : a bird found outside its normal geographic range or migration route : accidental

California gulls have turned up as vagrants in other nearby states, including New York, Maryland and Pennsylvania.

—Pete Bacinski and Scott Barnes

vagrant

2 of 2

adjective

1

a

: wandering about from place to place usually with no means of support

b

of an animal : wandering outside its normal geographic range

especially, of a bird : found outside its normal geographic range or migration route : accidental sense 3

2

a

: having a fleeting, wayward, or inconstant quality

a vagrant impulse

b

: having no fixed course : random

a vagrant breeze

vagrantly adverb

Synonyms

Noun

• bindle stiff
• bum
• bummer
• hobo
• sundowner [Australian]
• swaggie [chiefly Australian]
• swagman [chiefly Australian]
• tramp
• vagabond

Adjective

• ambulant
• ambulatory
• errant
• fugitive
• gallivanting
• galavanting
• itinerant
• nomad
• nomadic
• perambulatory
• peregrine
• peripatetic
• ranging
• roaming
• roving
• vagabond
• wandering
• wayfaring

Examples of vagrant in a Sentence

Noun

a part of the city that attracts many vagrants

vagrants sleeping in cardboard boxes on the sidewalk

Adjective

bands of vagrant children in the streets of the impoverished city

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

The population at South Korea’s vagrant facilities peaked in the 1980s as the then-military government intensified roundups to beautify streets ahead of the 1986 Asian Games and the 1988 Olympic Games held in Seoul. —Kim Tong-Hyung, Los Angeles Times, 9 Sep. 2024

While the policy is intended to protect homeless individuals from discrimination, some say its unintended consequences will only perpetuate the crisis and safeguard vagrants from prosecution. —Tim Clouser | The Center Square, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 8 Sep. 2024

Adjective

Scientists offer a range of explanations for why vagrant birds may drift so far away from their typical habitats. —Eric Lagatta, USA TODAY, 2 May 2024

Every migrant, vagrant and endangered species apparently needs an advocate. —Allysia Finley, WSJ, 31 Dec. 2023

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English vageraunt, vagraunt, borrowed from Anglo-French vageraunt, from present participle of vagrer "to wander about," probably blend of vaguer "to be unoccupied, wander about" (borrowed from Late Latin vagāre, Latin vagārī "to wander, roam") and waucrer, wakrer "to wander about," perhaps going back to Old Low Franconian (Frankish substratum of French) *walkaran-, frequentative derivative of Germanic *walkan- "to roll, toss" — more at vagabond entry 2, walk entry 1

Adjective

Middle English vagaraunt "inclined to wander, lacking a livelihood," borrowed from Anglo-French vageraunt, waucrant, present participle of vagrer "to wander about" — more at vagrant entry 1

First Known Use

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Adjective

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Kids Definition

vagrant

1 of 2 noun

va·​grant ˈvā-grənt 

: a person who has no steady job and wanders from place to place

vagrant

2 of 2 adjective

1

: wandering about from place to place

2

: having no fixed course

vagrant breezes

Medical Definition

vagrant

adjective

va·​grant ˈvā-grənt 

: having no fixed course : moving from place to place

a vagrant infection

Legal Definition

vagrant

noun

va·​grant ˈvā-grənt 

: one who has no established residence and wanders about without lawful or identifiable means of support

vagrants may not be punished for being vagrants; only persons who commit culpable acts are liable for criminal sanctions

—State v. Richard, 836 P.2d 622 (1992)

Etymology

Noun

Anglo-French wagerant, vageraunt, from present participle of vagrer, walcrer to wander about, drift, probably from Old Norse valka to roll, wallow