Vagrancies

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. The state of being aimless or without a fixed home; instances of wandering or unpredictable behavior; a collection of transient or erratic thoughts or events experienced by individuals
2. A condition characterized by roaming or lack of a permanent residence; occurrences marked by randomness or fluctuation; a series of unpredictable or whimsical actions or notions
3. The quality of living without a stable location; moments of irregularity or inconsistency in actions; a set of fleeting ideas or experiences that lack a defined pattern

Etymology: "Vagrancies" is the plural of "vagrancy," a noun formed from "vagrant" with the suffix "-cy," which turns an adjective or noun into a word for a state or quality. The plural form, with its meanings of unpredictable actions or fluctuations, is simply the noun pluralized so that it can name several such occurrences at once. The root "vagrant" carries the idea of wandering. Its own history runs back through Anglo-Norman and Old French forms to the Latin "vagari," meaning to wander or roam. Over time the word moved from describing a person without a fixed home to describing anything that drifts or shifts without a clear pattern, which is why "vagrancies" can now refer to a changeable turn of events as easily as to a life of wandering.