English
gaffe
Gaffe comes from French gaffe ‘blunder’, from Old Occitan gaf ‘clasp’, and ultimately from Proto-Germanic *fanhaną ‘to take, capture’.
- Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*fanhaną‘to take, capture’reconstructed
- Gothicc. 300–600fahantransliteratedGothic script fahan, a transliteration‘to catch’
- Gothic, derivedc. 300–600gafahtransliteratedGothic script gafah, a transliteration‘clasp’
- Old Occitanc. 950–1500gaf‘clasp’
- Frenchc. 1600–presentgaffe‘blunder’
- Englishtodaygaffe
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor
Earlier history uncertain.
Lineage
- Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*fanhaną‘to take, capture’reconstructed
- Gothicc. 300–600fahantransliteratedGothic script fahan, a transliteration‘to catch’
- Gothic, derivedc. 300–600gafahtransliteratedGothic script gafah, a transliteration‘clasp’
- Old Occitanc. 950–1500gaf‘clasp’
- Frenchc. 1600–presentgaffe‘blunder’
- Englishtodaygaffe
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *peh₂ḱ- ‘secure, attach, strengthen’
peace, fair, pace, pact, repay, pax, fay, pacifist, pacifism, pogue, 8 more
through Proto-Germanic *fanhaną ‘to take, capture’
Today it means
noun A foolish and embarrassing error, especially one made in public; a social blunder; a breach of etiquette.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Germanic *fanhaną / gaffe