Skip to main content

waiveto give up a right or claim voluntarily; to refrain from enforcing or requiring

Part of speech: VERB

Definition: to give up a right or claim voluntarily; to refrain from enforcing or requiring

Pronunciation (IPA): /weɪv/

Example Sentences

  • The hotel waived the pet fee when they saw how well-behaved my goldfish was.
  • She agreed to waive her right to a lawyer, confident she could represent herself.
  • The professor waived the final exam for students who attended every single boring lecture.

waive

VERB

[/weɪv/]

to give up a right or claim voluntarily; to refrain from enforcing or requiring

The generous landlord tore up the document to waive the late fee.
💡 Concept

The generous landlord tore up the document to waive the late fee.

WA(wave) + IVE(give) — he WAVED his hand to GIVE the gold medal to the injured runner, choosing to waive his prize.
🧠 Mnemonic

WA(wave) + IVE(give) — he WAVED his hand to GIVE the gold medal to the injured runner, choosing to waive his prize.

To climb out of the collapsing cave, he had to waive his heavy bag of gold.
🎵 Rhyme

To climb out of the collapsing cave, he had to waive his heavy bag of gold.

Got the picture? Now let's practice.

🎤Pronunciation

🇺🇸 US/weɪv/
🇬🇧 UK/weɪv/

🌳Etymology

Rootwaive

Origin

From Old Norse 'veifa' meaning 'to wave' or 'to brandish,' which entered English through Anglo-Norman French as 'weyver.' The sense evolved from the literal meaning of waving or gesturing to the legal meaning of relinquishing a right through a gesture or formal act.

Breakdown

waive (from Old Norse 'veifa' - to wave/brandish) = a single morpheme with no productive prefix or suffix breakdown in modern English; the meaning shifted from physical waving to voluntary relinquishment of a claim or right

🎵Rhyme

wavecavesavebravegrave
wave
cave
save
brave
grave

🔗Collocations

waive fees
waive rights
waive requirements
waive immunity
waive the rule
waive conditions

📝Examples

😄 Fun example

The hotel waived the pet fee when they saw how well-behaved my goldfish was.

She agreed to waive her right to a lawyer, confident she could represent herself.

😄 Fun example

The professor waived the final exam for students who attended every single boring lecture.

The company decided to waive the dress code on Fridays.

📚Related Words

Synonyms

forfeitrelinquishabandonsurrendergive up

Antonyms

enforcedemandrequire

Related

waiverexemptionimmunityprivilege

Want to master 19,000+ words?

Sign up free for flashcards & quizzes.