Etymograph

English

kaffir fink

Kaffir fink may come from Dutch kaffer.

  1. Dutchc. 1500–presentkafferuncertain
  2. Englishtodaykaffir fink

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed

Earlier history uncertain.

Lineage

  1. Dutchc. 1500–presentkafferuncertain
  2. Englishtodaykaffir fink

The story

Following a common pattern of naming South African flora and fauna kaffir (originally a neutral term for Bantu, now offensive) followed by an analogous European plant or animal. The compounding may have happened in English or Afrikaans; the components derive from Dutch kaffer and vink.

Every English word from Dutch kaffer

Today it means

noun Synonym of sakabula.

Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.

Etymograph / Dutch kaffer / kaffir fink

Shirt and support for this word