## 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
- Space, Position & Direction
- Verbs of Movement
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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stray

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