English
vagabond
Vagabond comes from Late Latin vagābundus ‘strolling about’, from Latin vagor ‘wander’, and ultimately from vagus.
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEvagus‘wandering, roaming’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEvagoras vagari‘wander’
- Late Latinc. 200–600 CEvagābundus‘strolling about’
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400vagabond
- Englishearliest quotation 1530same form
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Earlier history uncertain.
Lineage
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEvagus‘wandering, roaming’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEvagoras vagari‘wander’
- Late Latinc. 200–600 CEvagābundus‘strolling about’
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400vagabond
- Englishearliest quotation 1530same form
Earliest quotation: 1530, W[illiam] T[yndale]: “Foꝛ when thou tylleſt the grounde ſhe ſhall hẽcefoꝛth…”
Linked words
through Latin vagus ‘wandering, roaming’
Today it means
noun A person on a trip of indeterminate destination and/or length of time.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Latin vagus / vagabond