tafur

Old French

Etymology

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.) Perhaps related to Arabic طفران, tafraan, meaning pauper, have-not.

Noun

tafur oblique singular, m (oblique plural tafurs, nominative singular tafurs, nominative plural tafur)

1. Saracen
2. rascal
3. beggar

References

• Godefroy, Frédéric, Dictionnaire de l’ancienne langue française et de tous ses dialectes du IX^e au XV^e siècle (1881) (tafur)
• tafur on the Anglo-Norman On-Line Hub

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Old Portuguese

Alternative forms

• taful

Etymology

From Arabic تَكْفُور (takfūr, “Armenian king”), from Middle Armenian թագւոր (tʻagwor, “king”), from Old Armenian թագաւոր (tʻagawor, “king”), from Parthian *tag(a)-bar (“king”, literally “crown bearing”).

Cognate with Old Spanish tafur (Modern tahúr).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ta.ˈfuɾ/

Noun

tafur m

1. gambler
   • 13th century CE, Alfonso X of Castile, Cantigas de Santa Maria, Códice de los músicos, cantiga 154 (facsimile):

     Como un tafur tirou con hũa baeſta hũa seeta cõtra o ceo con ſanna p̈ q̇ pdera. p̃ q̃ cuidaua q̇ firia a deos o.ſ.M̃.

     How a gambler shot, with a crossbow, a bolt at the sky, wrathful because he had lost. Because he wanted it to wound God or Holy Mary.

Derived terms

• tafuraria

Descendants

• Galician: tafur
• Portuguese: taful