Vagrant

Quick meaning: Vagrant is a noun meaning Any of species Vagrans egista of widely distributed Asian butteflies of the family Nymphalidae.

Meaning

Any of species Vagrans egista of widely distributed Asian butteflies of the family Nymphalidae.

More Meanings

1. (biology, especially ornithology) An animal, typically a bird, found outside its species' usual range.
2. Wandering from place to place, particularly when without any settled employment or habitation.
3. Of or pertaining to a vagabond or vagrant, or a person fond of wandering.
4. (figurative) Moving without a certain direction; roving, wandering; also, erratic, unsettled.
5. (specifically) A person without settled employment or habitation who usually supports himself or herself by begging or some dishonest means; a tramp, a vagabond.
6. (dated) A person who wanders from place to place; a nomad, a wanderer.

Example Sentences

a vagrant beggar

Every morning before work, I see that poor vagrant around the neighbourhood begging for food.

Let Prudence yet obſtruct thy venturous way; / And take good heed, what men will think and ſay: / That beauteous Emma vagrant courſes took; / Her father's houſe and civil life forſook; / That, full of youthful blood, and fond of man; / She to the wood-land with an exile ran.

The most prominent body of delinquents in the rural districts are vagrants, and these vagrants appear to consist of two classes: first, the habitual depradators, house-breakers, horse-stealers, and common thieves; secondly, of vagrants, properly so called, who seek alms as mendicants.

Word Forms

• vagrants

Synonyms for vagrant

Depending on context, synonyms include itinerant, rover, ambler, flaneur, gadling, nomad.

Related Words

Related dictionary entries include vagabond, drifter, unsettled, floating, drifting, aimless.

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