waft

C2 Topic:Actions & Processes

US /wɑft/ UK /wɒft/ See IPA manual

Freq #50209

Meanings

1

verb
be driven or carried along, as by the air

Sounds wafted into the room.
2

verb
blow gently

A breeze wafted through the door.
3

verb
To (cause to) float easily or gently through the air.

A breeze came in through the open window and wafted her sensuous perfume into my eager nostrils.
4

verb
To be moved, or to pass, on a buoyant medium; to float.

Unhappy Aureng-Zebe is in disgrace; / And your Morat, proclaimed the successor, / Is called, to awe the city with his power. / Those trumpets his triumphant entry tell, / And now the shouts waft near the citadel.

Verb forms

Verb forms are not available for this word yet.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

3 verb · to (cause to) float easily... breathe

Etymology

From Middle English waften, of uncertain origin. Possibly from unattested Old English *wafettan, from wafian (“to wave”) + -ettan, or perhaps borrowed from Middle Dutch wachten (“to guard, provide for”). See also German wabern (“to waft”), Faroese veiftra (“to wave”) and Icelandic váfa (“to fluctuate, waver, doubt”).

Topics

Actions & Processes

External links

# waft

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2
**Part of speech:** verb
**IPA (US):** /wɑft/
**IPA (UK):** /wɒft/
**Frequency rank:** 50209

## Meanings
1. be driven or carried along, as by the air
2. blow gently
3. To (cause to) float easily or gently through the air.
4. To be moved, or to pass, on a buoyant medium; to float.

## Examples
- Sounds wafted into the room.
- A breeze wafted through the door.
- A breeze came in through the open window and wafted her sensuous perfume into my eager nostrils.
- Unhappy Aureng-Zebe is in disgrace; / And your Morat, proclaimed the successor, / Is called, to awe the city with his power. / Those trumpets his triumphant entry tell, / And now the shouts waft near the citadel.

## Synonyms
- breathe

## Etymology
From Middle English waften, of uncertain origin. Possibly from unattested Old English *wafettan, from wafian (“to wave”) + -ettan, or perhaps borrowed from Middle Dutch wachten (“to guard, provide for”). See also German wabern (“to waft”), Faroese veiftra (“to wave”) and Icelandic váfa (“to fluctuate, waver, doubt”).

## Topics
- Actions & Processes

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