Waft
/wɑːft/noun
To carry or move gently through the air or over water; also, a gentle movement of air or scent.
Did you know?In older English, a waft could be a signal flag or pennant, and the word is linked to the same Germanic idea behind “weft,” as if motion itself were being woven through space.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*wabjaną
“to wave, move to and fro”
Old English
OE
wæft
“a waving motion; a signal or pennant”
Middle English
ME
waften
“to wave, move gently, or float”
16th Century
English
waft
“to carry or move lightly through the air”
Modern English
English
waft
“to drift or be carried gently by air or water”