(abbreviation, alt-of, derogatory, informal, initialism) Initialism of model, actress, whatever: a young woman without much talent who attains celebrity through physical attractiveness
Next to them, you spot what can only be a director's assistant. He's dressed very casually, jeans and a black T-shirt and he uses his tenuous connection to true Hollywood power to flirt with the most attractive MAWs (Model-Actress-Whatever) […] 2001, Bill Robinson, Ceridwen Morris, It's All Your Fault: How To Make It as a Hollywood Assistant, page 33:
Through his Hollywood connections he filled out the ranks of our parties with troops of assorted aspiring starlets, production assistants and thrillseeking party dolls—MAWs (“Model/Actress/Whatever”). 2013, B. Hesse Pflingger, Fonko on the Carpet:
Tamara was one of the original wild-child tribe - up to now, famous mainly for being famous. She has done a quantity of high-profile dabbling in modelling, acting, television and journalism (file under MAW - Model, Actress, Whatever - or WAIF - Why Am I Famous?) 1996 October 19, Hester Lacey, “She's left her wild-child self behind, learned from her multitude of mistakes and even got a proper job. So why do we hate her?”, in The Independent: