waif

/weɪf/

Other forms: waifs

No matter how cold-hearted you are, it's tough not to feel sympathy for a waif — a neglected or orphaned child.

From Oliver Twist to Harry Potter, literature is filled with stories of young waifs who persevere through hardship. In contrast to street urchins or ragamuffins, waifs are generally seen as wholly innocent victims of their situation. This fact may explain why waifs make such compelling literary protagonists. Who's going to root against a kind-hearted orphan? And who would admit it if they did?

Definitions of waif

1. noun

   a homeless child especially one forsaken or orphaned
   synonyms: street child

   type of:

   child, fry, kid, minor, nestling, nipper, shaver, small fry, tiddler, tike, tyke, youngster

   a young person of either sex
2. noun

   a person, especially a young woman, who is extremely thin
   type of:

   spring chicken, young person, younker, youth

   a young person (especially a young man or boy)