c.1300, from Anglo-Fr. weyver "to abandon, waive," O.Fr. weyver, guever "to abandon, give back," probably from a Scand. source akin to O.N. veifa "to swing about," from P.Gmc. *waibijanan (see waif). In M.E. legal language, used of rights, goods, or women. Waiver "act of waiving" is from 1628 (modern usage is often short for waiver clause); baseball waivers is recorded from 1907.