English

Alternative forms

• gaff

Noun

gaffe ‎(plural gaffes)

1. A foolish and embarrassing error, especially one made in public.

Synonyms

• (error, especially made in public): blooper, blunder, boo-boo, bozo eruption, defect, error, fault, faux pas, fluff, lapse, mistake, slip, stumble, thinko
• See also Wikisaurus:error

Translations

See also

• malapropism
• Freudian slip
• Bushism

French

Etymology

From Old Provençal gaf ‎(“clasp”), from Gothic 𐌲𐌰𐍆𐌰𐌷 ‎(gafah, “clasp”), from *𐌲𐌰- ‎(ga-) (intensifier) + 𐍆𐌰𐌷𐌰𐌽 ‎(fahan, “to catch”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ɡaf/

Noun

gaffe f ‎(plural gaffes)

1. gaffe, blunder, goof-up (North American), cock-up (British)

See also

• faire gaffe

German

Verb

gaffe

1. First-person singular present of gaffen.
2. Imperative singular of gaffen.
3. First-person singular subjunctive I of gaffen.
4. Third-person singular subjunctive I of gaffen.

Italian

Noun

gaffe f

1. plural of gaffa

Noun

gaffe f ‎(invariable)

1. gaffe, blunder, boob