Waft

Part of speech: verb

Pronunciation: /wɑft/

Definitions

1. A gentle movement through air that carries something lightly from one place to another, or the smell or sound that travels this way
2. A subtle air current that carries fragrances or sounds subtly from one location to another, promoting a light dispersal of sensory elements
3. A light breeze that moves particles or scents gently through the air, or an auditory sensation that travels delicately across space

Etymology: The verb "waft" appears in Middle English as "waften," and its origin is genuinely unsettled. One possibility is an unrecorded Old English form, "wafettan," built from "wafian," meaning "to wave," with a suffix attached. Parallel words in related languages support the sense of wavering motion: German "wabern" means to waft or shimmer, and Icelandic "váfa" means to fluctuate or waver. That gives the verb its characteristic idea of something moving lightly, carried by air rather than pushed. A second theory links it to Middle Dutch "wachten," which meant "to guard" or "provide for." The connection in meaning is hard to see, which is why many scholars treat it as the weaker candidate. The sense of drifting gently along, which the word carries today, is the one that has held steady since the earliest English uses.

Synonyms: drift, float, carry, blow, send

Antonyms: sink, drop, descend