ofay
English
Etymology
Unknown; perhaps from an African language. Pig Latin for foe, though popularly posited, is probably not accurate.
A possible point of origin is Cab Calloway's Hepster's Dictionary, where the word is defined as "Policeman or law enforcement, 'The Man'".
Pronunciation
Noun
ofay (plural ofays)
- (US, ethnic slur, slang) A white person.
- 1983 May, Kurt Busiek, “The Chemistro Connection”, in Power Man and Iron Fist, volume 1, number 93, Marvel Comics Group:
- You get outa my alley, Lucas -- and take that ofay with you, hear?
- 1997, Don DeLillo, Underworld:
- The rival, the foe, the ofay, veins stretched and bulged between white knuckles.
Synonyms
- honky, whitey; see also Thesaurus:white person
Adjective
ofay (comparative more ofay, superlative most ofay)
- (US, ethnic slur, slang) White; white-skinned.
- a. 1969, John Kennedy Toole, A Confederacy of Dunces:
- “You better tell your little ofay kid friend move along.”
- 1984. Anthony Burgess, Enderby's Dark Lady:
- ‘Baby,’ April Elgar said, ‘you may be an uptight ofay milk-toast limey bastard, but you ain’t no fag.’
- 1959. Lorraine Hansberry, A Raisin in the Sun:
- Everything is strictly peachy keen, as the ofay kids say.
- a. 1969, John Kennedy Toole, A Confederacy of Dunces: