1. homeless or abandoned children, especially those living on the streets
2. abandoned or ownerless things or animals
Usage: legal

Examples

• The charity helps feed waifs living on the city streets.
• Victorian novels often featured waifs who eventually found loving homes.
• The shelter cares for waifs and stray animals.
• After the storm, waifs of debris washed up on the shore.
• The old mansion was filled with waifs of forgotten furniture.
• Social workers try to place waifs in foster care.
• The waifs huddled together for warmth in the alley.