gueifa

Galician

Etymology

Unknown. Perhaps from a descendant of Proto-Germanic *waibijaną (“to wrap up, to clothe, to wave”), whence Icelandic veifa (“to wave”), Gothic 𐌱𐌹𐍅𐌰𐌹𐌱𐌾𐌰𐌽 (biwaibjan, “to surround”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈɡejfa̝/

Noun

gueifa f (plural gueifas)

1. mouldboard; in Galician traditional ploughs, a pair of pieces next to the blade which turn over the earth

   Synonyms: abeaca, orelleira

   • 1926, anonymous, Nós. Boletín mensual da Cultura Galega, nº 27, page 12:

     Alguén pretende que a novela galega teña un marcado celme rural, un arrecendo ás terras remexidas polo legón, ou polas gueifas do arado, á braveza de toxo, á estrume. ¿E por qué non ha poder sere delicada como unha fror de pazo señoril?

     Some people pretend that the Galician novel should have a marked rural imprint, a smell to the earth overturned by the hoe or by the mouldboard of the plough, to the wilderness of the gorse, to fertiliser. But, why shouln't it be delicate as a flower from a noble manor?

References

• “gueifa” in Dicionario de Dicionarios da lingua galega, SLI - ILGA 2006–2013.
• “gueifa” in Tesouro informatizado da lingua galega. Santiago: ILG.
• “gueifa” in Álvarez, Rosario (coord.): Tesouro do léxico patrimonial galego e portugués, Santiago de Compostela: Instituto da Lingua Galega.