vagare

Vagare is a verb form found in Latin and several Romance languages, most commonly as the infinitive meaning to wander or roam. In classical Latin, vagāre appears as the first‑conjugation infinitive. In modern Romance languages, the corresponding infinitives are vagare in Italian and vagar in Portuguese, used similarly to express roaming or aimless movement. The form is widely recognized in linguistic discussions as an example of how Romance languages inherit and adapt Latin verb patterns.

Etymology and cognates arise from the Latin root vagus, meaning wandering or roaming, and this semantic core has influenced related vocabulary in several languages. English cognates such as vagabond, vagrant, and vagary ultimately trace back to the same idea of roaming, passing through Romance and French intermediaries before entering English.

Usage and scope: In Latin texts, vagāre functions as a standard infinitive. In Italian and Portuguese, vagare and vagar are active, ordinary infinitives used in everyday speech and literature to denote roaming or moving without a fixed destination. The term is primarily encountered in linguistic, philological, or etymological contexts in English, where it is discussed as a historical or comparative form rather than a commonly used word.

See also: Vagabond, vagrant, vagary.