Waiver

Pronunciation

• UK IPA: /ˈweɪ.vÉ™(r)/
• US IPA: /ˈweɪ.vÉš/
• Rhymes: -eɪvÉ™(r)
• Homophones: waver

Origin

Anglo-Norman weyver, from waiver

Date: 1628

Full definition of waiver

Noun

1. The act of waiving, or not insisting on, some right, claim, or privilege.
2. (legal) A legal document releasing some requirement, such as waiving a right (giving it up) or a waiver of liability (agreeing to hold someone blameless). Also used for such a form even before it is filled out and signed.I had to sign a waiver when I went skydiving, agreeing not to sue even if something went wrong.
3. Something that releases a person from a requirement.I needed a waiver from the department head to take the course because I didn't technically have the prerequisite courses.I needed a waiver from the zoning board for the house because the lot was so small, but they let me build because it was next to the park.

Derived terms

• waivered

Verb

1. Misspelling of waver
2. See waive.

Usage notes

Sometimes used in puns involving wavering about waivers, the noun, especially in newspaper headlines for sports stories.

Anagrams

• wavier