PoliticsAugust 12, 2026

vagrancy

VAY-grun-see

Definition

The state of wandering from place to place without visible means of support or employment, often treated as a criminal offense in historical legal codes.

Etymology

Derived from the Latin 'vagari,' meaning to wander or roam. It entered Middle English through the Old French 'vagrant' to describe a person without a fixed home or steady job.

In the news

In the context of 'ugly laws,' the article explains how disability was often criminalized by linking physical impairments to the legal status of vagrancy to justify arresting and removing people with disabilities from public view.

'Ugly Laws': The Legislation Against People With Disabilities

Read the full article ↗

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