stray
English · Thesaurus
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stray¹
- /stɹeɪ/
Rhymes with -eɪ
Where it comes from
From Middle English stray, strey, from Anglo-Norman estray, stray, Old French estrai, from the verb (see below).
noun strays
- Any domestic animal that lacks an enclosure, proper place, or company, but that instead wanders at large or is lost; an estray.
- A person who is lost. But vvhat a vvretched, and diſconſolate Hermitage is that Houſe, vvhich is not viſited by thee [God], and vvhat a VVayue, and Stray is that Man, that hath not thy Markes vpon him?
- An act of wandering off or going astray.
- An area of common land for use by domestic animals.
- An article of movable property, of which the owner is not known (see waif). waifs and strays
- An instance of atmospheric interference. This invention relates broadly to radio communication, but more particularly to a radio receiving system used for the reception of high frequency current signals wherever they are subject to interference from "static" or strays of an untuned or aperiodic character.
- A casual or offhand insult.
-
A submissive that has not committed to submit to any particular dominant, particulary in petplay.
Opposite: collared
- Ellipsis of stray bullet catch a stray
stray²
- /stɹeɪ/
Rhymes with -eɪ
Where it comes from
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”).
verb strays · straying · strayed
- To wander, as from a direct course; to deviate, or go out of the way. Thames among the wanton valleys strays.
- To wander from company or outside proper limits; to rove or roam at large; to go astray.
- To wander from the path of duty or rectitude; to err. November 2 2014, Daniel Taylor, "Sergio Agüero strike wins derby for Manchester City against 10-man United," guardian.co.uk It was a derby that left Manchester United a long way back in Manchester City’s wing-mirrors and, in the worst moments, straying dangerously close to being their own worst enem
- To cause to stray; lead astray. Hath not else his eye / Strayed his affection in unlawful love,
stray³
- /stɹeɪ/
Rhymes with -eɪ
Where it comes from
From Middle English stray, from the noun (see above).
adjective more stray · strayer · most stray · strayest
- Having gone astray; strayed; wandering. The alley is full of stray cats rummaging through the garbage.
- In the wrong place; misplaced. a stray comma
Thesaurus
Closest in meaning: straggle, vagabond, wander, roam, divagate, ramble, cast, scattered, depart, digress, err, isolated, sporadic, drift, rove, range
Translations
Every language
noun domestic animal at large or lost
| 中文 | 迷失 míshī, 离群 líqún |
|---|---|
| Português | desgarrado, vira-lata |
| Français | animal errant |
| Deutsch | Streuner |
| Italiano | randagio |
| Ελληνικά | αδέσποτο adéspoto |
| Română | vagabond, maidanez |
| Русский | бездо́мный bezdómnyj, бродя́чий brodjáčij |
noun act of wandering or going astray
| Español | extravío |
|---|---|
| Français | errance |
| Italiano | vagante |
| Русский | заблуди́вшийся zabludívšijsja, шально́й šalʹnój |
noun area of common land
| Français | commun |
|---|
verb to wander from a direct course
| Español | errar, divagar, callejear, vagabundear |
|---|---|
| हिन्दी | भटकना bhaṭaknā |
| Português | afastar-se, desviar-se |
| Français | errer, éloigner |
| Deutsch | irren, streunen |
| Italiano | vagare, snodare, snodarsi, zigzagare |
| Русский | свора́чивать svoráčivatʹ, сверну́ть svernútʹ |
| العربية | ضَلَّ ḍalla |
verb to wander from company or from proper limits
| Español | extraviarse, perderse, descaminarse, descarriarse |
|---|---|
| Português | perder-se, desviar-se |
| Deutsch | sich verlaufen, verloren gehen |
| Italiano | estraniarsi |
| Русский | плута́ть plutátʹ, блужда́ть bluždátʹ |
verb to err
| Deutsch | sich irren |
|---|---|
| Italiano | perdersi |
| Русский | сбива́ться с пути́ sbivátʹsja s putí, сби́ться с пути́ sbítʹsja s putí |
adj having gone astray
| 中文 | 流浪 liúlàng, 走失 zǒushī |
|---|---|
| Français | errant, égaré, écarté |
| Deutsch | streunend |
| Italiano | randagio |
| Ελληνικά | αδέσποτος adéspotos |
| Русский | бездо́мный bezdómnyj, заблуди́вшийся zabludívšijsja |
Talk about this word "stray." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/stray. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026. stray. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/stray "stray." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/stray.Cite this
@misc{stray_2026,
title = {stray},
howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
year = {2026},
url = {https://micwyn.com/word/stray},
urldate = {2026-11-06}
}
