vagabond English · revision 381

9 Oct 2026, 18:32 by bogdan “New entry from the dictionary sources (AHD, Barnhart, Etymonline, MW, OED, RHWU, Wiktionary, Hoad, MED, Word Origins)”
Initial text

@@ -0,0 +1,47 @@
+ ==Pronunciation==
+ * IPA: /ˈvæ.ɡə.bɒnd/, /ˈvæ.ɡə.bɑnd/^(Wiktionary)
+ 
+ ==Etymology==
+ It is [[inh|enm|vagabonde]], also ''vacabunde'',^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MED) [[bor|frm|vagabond|t=wandering]],^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(Hoad 1986) also Anglo-French ''vacabund'',^(MW Collegiate)^(MED) [[der|la-lat|vagābundus|t=wandering, strolling about]],^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate)^(Hoad 1986) from ''vagārī'' “to wander”, from ''vagus'' “wandering” (see [[vague]]).^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate)^(Hoad 1986)
+ 
+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==
+ As an adjective, wandering without a fixed home (1426 in the OED and Barnhart; c. 1400 for ''vacabond'' in Etymonline).^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline) As a noun, one who wanders from place to place, it is recorded from c. 1400, as ''vacabunde'' in 1402.^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1995)^(MED)
+ 
+ ==Semantic evolution==
+ Despite an early appearance in a criminal indictment of 1311, in Middle English a vagabond was often simply a wanderer without a settled home, not necessarily in a bad sense.^(Etymonline)^(MED) By the mid-15th century the adjective could also mean idle or dissolute,^(Etymonline)^(MED) and from the 17th century the notion of an idle, disreputable person without means of livelihood predominated.^(Etymonline)^(Hoad 1986)^(OED 1989) The verb, to roam about like a vagabond, dates from before 1586,^(OED 1989)^(MW Collegiate) and ''vagabondage'' from 1813.^(Etymonline)
+ 
+ ==Timeline==
+ * 1311 – in a criminal indictment.^(Etymonline)
+ * 1402 – ''vacabunde''.^(Barnhart 1995)
+ * 1426 – adjective, wandering.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1995)
+ * before 1586 – verb, to roam.^(OED 1989)^(MW Collegiate)
+ * 1630 – adjective, disreputable, good-for-nothing.^(OED 1989)
+ * 1813 – ''vagabondage''.^(Etymonline)
+ 
+ ==Modern meaning==
+ ===Noun===
+ # A person without a permanent home who moves from place to place.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)
+ # A [[vagrant]] or [[tramp]], especially one without visible means of support.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)
+ # A wanderer or rover.^(AHD)^(Wiktionary)
+ 
+ ===Adjective===
+ # Moving from place to place without a fixed home; [[nomadic]].^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)
+ # Of or characteristic of a wanderer; leading an unsettled, irresponsible or disreputable life.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)
+ # Aimless or irregular in course; drifting.^(AHD)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)
+ 
+ ===Verb===
+ # To wander or roam about in the manner of a vagabond.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(Wiktionary)
+ 
+ ==Word family==
+ * [[vagabondage]]
+ * [[vagabondism]]
+ * [[vagabondish]]
+ 
+ ==Related words==
+ * [[extravagant]]
+ * [[vague]]
+ * [[vagrant]]
+ * [[vagary]]
+ 
+ ==References==
+ {{reflist}}