stray

C1 Topic:Actions & Processes

US /stɹeɪ/ See IPA manual

Freq #7528

Meanings

1

verb
To wander away from the right path or place.

The child strayed from the path and got lost in the woods.
2

adj
Lost or wandered away from home, especially an animal.

A stray kitten turned up at the door looking for food.
3

verb
To move away from the main subject or from proper behaviour.

The discussion kept straying from the main topic.

Verb forms

Verb forms are not available for this word yet.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 verb · to wander away from the... drift err

Word family

Forms strayedstrayingstrays

Derived forms nonstraystrayerstraylightstraylingunstraying

Related forms astray estray

Appears in

Phrases (3)

See all

stray cat
A cat that has no owner and lives outdoors

Adjective + noun
stray dog
a dog with no owner that wanders loose on the streets

Adjective + noun
stray bullet
a bullet that travels away from its intended target or path

Adjective + noun

Etymology

From Middle English strayen, partly from Old French estraier, from Vulgar Latin via strata, and partly from Middle English strien, streyen, streyȝen (“to spread, scatter”), from Old English strēġan (“to strew”).

*sterh₃- Proto-Indo-European strayen Middle English estraier Old French via strata la-vul strien Middle English strēġan Old English

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Actions & Processes Word Formation & Derivatives

External links

# stray

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C1
**Part of speech:** verb, adj
**IPA (US):** /stɹeɪ/
**Frequency rank:** 7528

## Meanings
1. To wander away from the right path or place.
2. Lost or wandered away from home, especially an animal.
3. To move away from the main subject or from proper behaviour.

## Examples
- The child strayed from the path and got lost in the woods.
- A stray kitten turned up at the door looking for food.
- The discussion kept straying from the main topic.

## Derived Forms
- nonstray
- strayer
- straylight
- strayling
- unstraying

## Related Forms
- astray
- estray

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: *sterh₃-
- Root: strayen
- Root: estraier
- Root: via strata
- Root: strien
- Root: strēġan

## Etymology
From Middle English strayen, partly from Old French estraier, from Vulgar Latin via strata, and partly from Middle English strien, streyen, streyȝen (“to spread, scatter”), from Old English strēġan (“to strew”).

## AI Etymology
Stray is from Middle English strayen, partly from Old French estraier, from Vulgar Latin via strata, and partly from Middle English strien, streyen, streyȝen (“to spread, scatter”), from Old English strēġan (“to strew”). In present-day use, it can mean to wander away from the right path or place, or lost or wandered away from home, especially an animal. Related forms include astray, estray. Derived formations include nonstray, strayer, straylight, strayling, unstraying.

## Topics
- Actions & Processes
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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