Word of the Day

Tuesday, February 27, 2001

errant

\AIR-uhnt\ , adjective;

Wandering; roving, especially in search of adventure.

Deviating from an appointed course; straying.

Straying from the proper standards (as of truth or propriety).

Moving aimlessly or irregularly; as, an errant breeze.

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Quotes:

The year 1565 finds him at Ferrara, the city where our errant poet will spend the most stable years of his life.

-- Anthony M. Esolen, introduction to Jerusalem Delivered by Torquato Tasso

They called him, "Hey, mister!" and asked him to throw their errant baseballs back to them.

-- Judith McNaught, Night Whispers

Conformity was the rule, and one young mother, imploring Peabody not to expel her errant son because he was a "very unusual" boy, heard the stony response: "Groton, madam, is no place for the unusual boy."

-- Benjamin Welles, Sumner Welles: FDR's Global Strategist

Not anymore, she says, putting her bag between her feet and moving errant hairs out of her face.

-- Joseph Clark, Jungle Wedding

Origin:

Errant comes from Middle French errer, "to travel," from Late Latin iterare, from Latin iter, "a journey"; confused somewhat with Latin errare, "to wander; to err."