kaffer

See also: Käffer

English

Noun

kaffer (plural kaffers)

1. Alternative form of kaffir.

Anagrams

• Kaffre

Afrikaans

Alternative forms

• Kaffer, kaffir

Etymology

From Dutch kaffer, from Portuguese cafre, from Arabic كَافِر (kāfir, “infidel”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈkafər/

Noun

kaffer (plural kaffers)

1. (historical, obsolete) A Bantu person (as distinct from a Bushman)

   Synonym: Bantoe

   • 1877, Genootskap van regte Afrikaners, Die geskiedenis van ons land in die taal van ons volk‎^[1], Capetown, page 13:

     Die Kaffers is meer menselik a’s die Boesmans. Hulle is wel swarter van kleur, maar hulle is groter van lijf en beter geskape. Hulle lewensaart is oek nie so beestelik a’s die Boesmans syn nie.

     The Bantu are more human(e) than the Bushmen. Though they are blacker in colour, they are taller in built and better in shape. Moreover, their way of life is not so bestial as that of the Bushmen.

2. (now offensive, ethnic slur) A black person, especially a Bantu.

Danish

Noun

kaffer c

1. indefinite plural of kaffe
2. (offensive) A black person, notably a (Southern African) Bantu.

Dutch

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈkɑ.fər/
• Hyphenation: kaf‧fer
• Rhymes: -ɑfər

Etymology 1

Borrowed from Portuguese cafre, from Arabic كَافِر (kāfir, “infidel”).

Noun

kaffer m (plural kaffers, diminutive kaffertje n)

1. (originally derogatory) a non-believer or an infidel from the Muslim viewpoint
2. (offensive) a black person, notably a (Southern African) Bantu

   Synonyms: neger, zwarte, (ethnic slur, offensive) nikker

Derived terms

• kafferlelie

 

Descendants

• Afrikaans: kaffer
• Sranan Tongo: kafri
  • → Caribbean Hindustani: kafri
• → English: kaffir (or from another European language)

Etymology 2

Borrowed from Yiddish [Term?].

Noun

kaffer m (plural kaffers, diminutive kaffertje n)

1. (derogatory) a stupid person, a numskull

   Synonyms: steenezel, uilskuiken

Derived terms

• kafferlelie
• uitkafferen

Norwegian Bokmål

Etymology

From Arabic كَافِر (kāfir, “infidel”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /kaf.fer/, [ˈkɑf.fəɾ]

Noun

kaffer m (definite singular kafferen, indefinite plural kaffere, definite plural kafferne)

1. An archaic name for an African Bantu; a member of any ethnic group that speaks a Bantu language
2. (derogatory) Any black person

Synonyms

• (speaker of any Bantu language): bantu
• (derogatory name for black person): neger, nigger, svarting

References

• “kaffer” in The Bokmål Dictionary.

Vilamovian

Etymology

From Middle High German gaffer.

Noun

kaffer m

1. camphor