"act of waiving," 1620s (modern usage is often short for waiver clause); from Anglo-French legal usage of infinitive as a noun (see waive). Baseball waivers is recorded from 1907. Other survivals of noun use of infinitives in Anglo-French legalese include disclaimer, merger, rejoinder, misnomer, ouster, retainer, attainder.[waiver etymology, waiver origin, 英语词源]