vagabond

[ vag-uh-bond ]

adjective

1. wandering from place to place without any settled home; nomadic:

   a vagabond tribe.

2. leading an unsettled or carefree life.
3. disreputable; worthless; shiftless.
4. of, relating to, or characteristic of a vagabond:

   vagabond habits.

5. having an uncertain or irregular course or direction:

   a vagabond voyage.

noun

1. a person, usually without a permanent home, who wanders from place to place; nomad.
2. an idle wanderer without a permanent home or visible means of support; tramp; vagrant.

   Synonyms: loafer, hobo

3. a carefree, worthless, or irresponsible person; rogue.

   Synonyms: idler, knave

vagabond

/ ˈvæɡəˌbɒnd /

noun

1. a person with no fixed home
2. an idle wandering beggar or thief
3. modifier of or like a vagabond; shiftless or idle

Derived Forms

• ˈvagaˌbondism, noun
• ˈvagaˌbondage, noun
• ˈvagaˌbondish, adjective

Other Words From

• vaga·bondish adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of vagabond¹

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English vagabound (from Old French vagabond ), from Late Latin vagābundus “wandering, vagrant,” equivalent to Latin vagā(rī) “to wander” + -bundus adjective suffix

Word History and Origins

Origin of vagabond¹

C15: from Latin vagābundus wandering, from vagārī to roam, from vagus vague

Synonym Study

See vagrant.

Example Sentences

Briones, then a student of Ruizpalacios’ acting courses, had a much smaller role as the immigrant restaurant owner demanding his missing funds, and later as a vagabond who wanders into the kitchen.

From Los Angeles Times

They’re defrocking the Mets down to their vagabond shoes that are longing to ... oh, forget it, one shouldn’t need to crib from a corny song to describe what is happening here.

From Los Angeles Times

“Theater people are vagabonds, wandering gypsies,” he writes.

From Los Angeles Times

It was nothing but a vagabond dervish, here to beg and preach his vague and carefree religion.

From Literature

Before moving to Nashville, where she still lives, and launching as a solo artist, Ferrell was a vagabond who traveled between the Big Easy and Seattle.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• wanderer