Third person singular present tense of 'wait' (to stay in place expecting something), or plural noun referring to traditional Christmas musicians or street singers in England.
Verb from Old Norse 'veita' meaning to attend to; noun from Middle English referring to town musicians who played during Christmas seasons and at celebrations.
The Waits were such a beloved English Christmas tradition that Dickens featured them in A Christmas Carol, and the word survived centuries because it evoked warmth, community, and festive joy.
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