Skip to the word

Added 9 October 2026

gaff

/ɡæf/ noun

noun Definition from WordNet 3.1, Princeton University. Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about gaff at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

A sharp metal spike or spur that is fastened to the leg of a gamecock.
A spar rising aft from a mast to support the head of a quadrilateral fore-and-aft sail.
An iron hook with a handle; used for landing large fish.

Origin

From Middle English gaffe, from Old French gaffe, from Old Occitan gaf (“hook”), derivative of gafar (“to seize”), from 𐌲𐌹𐌱𐌰𐌽 (giban, “to give”). Doublet of gaffe. Etymology 1, noun sense 5 apparently derives from the idea that the garment tricks or deceives others about the wearer's genitalia.

From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)

Back to today's word