gaffer

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See also: Gaffer

English

Etymology 1

From gaff (hook) +‎ -er. The natural lighting on early film sets was adjusted by opening and closing flaps in the tent cloths, called gaff cloths or gaff flaps.

Pronunciation

  • Lua error in Module:parameters at line 229: Parameter 1 should be a valid language or etymology language code; the value "GenAm" is not valid. See WT:LOL and WT:LOL/E. IPA(key): /ɡæfɚ/
  • Lua error in Module:parameters at line 229: Parameter 1 should be a valid language or etymology language code; the value "RP" is not valid. See WT:LOL and WT:LOL/E. IPA(key): /ɡæfə/
  • Rhymes: -æfə(ɹ)

Noun

gaffer (plural gaffers)

  1. (film) A chief lighting technician for a motion-picture or television production.
  2. A glassblower.
    • 2003, Jennifer Bosveld, Glass Works, page 18:
      The apprentice carries a gather of glass on the blowpipe to the gaffer's bench []
Translations
The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.

Etymology 2

Likely a contraction of godfather, but with the vowels influenced by grandfather. Compare French compère, German Gevatter.

Noun

gaffer (plural gaffers)

  1. (colloquial) An old man.
    • 1845, Thomas Cooper, The Purgatory of Suicides, Book the Fourth, Stanza IX:
      If thou return not, Gammer o'er her pail
      Will sing in sorrow, 'neath the brinded cow,
      And Gaffer sigh over his nut-brown ale []
  2. (British) A foreman.
  3. A sailor.
  4. (in Maritime regions) The baby in the house.
Synonyms
Translations

References

Anagrams


French

Etymology

gaffe +‎ -er

Verb

gaffer

  1. to make a gaffe; to mess up; botch up
  2. to gaffer tape

Conjugation

Further reading


Norman

Etymology

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

Pronunciation

  • Audio (Jersey):(file)

Verb

gaffer

  1. (Jersey) to grasp

Welsh

Pronunciation

Verb

gaffer

  1. Soft mutation of caffer.

Mutation

Welsh mutation
radical soft nasal aspirate
caffer gaffer nghaffer chaffer
Note: Some of these forms may be hypothetical. Not every possible mutated form of every word actually occurs.