different between waify vs waifu

English

Etymology

waif +? -y

Adjective

waify (comparative more waify, superlative most waify)

1. Characteristic of a waif; thin; waifish.

   She has a very waify frame.

English

Etymology

From Japanese ??? (waifu), itself from English wife; popularized by 4chan.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?wa?fu?/
• Rhymes: -a?fu?

Noun

waifu (plural waifu or waifus)

1. (fandom slang, Internet slang) A fictional female character from non-live-action visual media (typically an anime, manga, or video game) to whom one is attracted.
   • 2012, Dani Cavallaro, Kyoto Animation: A Critical Study and Filmography, McFarland & Company (2012), ?ISBN, page 126:

     Bradley Meek's portrayal of Lucky?Star's protagonist is particularly worthy of notice in assessing the anime's take on the art-play dyad: “Konata Izumi is a high school otaku hardcore enough to know trivia about seventies giant robot and tokusatsu shows,” the critic proposes, “but not hardcore enough to own a bodypillow of her waifu [a 2D significant other]. […]

   • For more quotations using this term, see Citations:waifu.

Synonyms

• wife
• wifey

Hypernyms

• soulbond

Coordinate terms

• husbando

Related terms

• mai (“my”)

Translations

Japanese

Romanization

waifu

1. R?maji transcription of ???