name
Meaning 1
A surname.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Standard Lemma guide
gaffer
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
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General-American: /ɡæfɚ/
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Received-Pronunciation: /ɡæfə/
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Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
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rhymes with -æfə(ɹ)
noun
Meaning 2
A chief lighting technician for a motion-picture or television production.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Topics: broadcasting, film, media, television
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
Meaning 3
A glassblower.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
Meaning 4
Someone aboard a boat whose duty is to gaff a (large) fish once the angler has reeled it in.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
Meaning 5
An old person, usually a man.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: colloquial
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
Meaning 6
The leader of a group or team, such as a boss, foreman, coach, or publican.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: UK, informal
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
Meaning 7
A sailor.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
Meaning 8
The baby in the house.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: Canada
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
Meaning 9
a person who exercises control over workers
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
- if you want to leave early you have to ask the foreman
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: foreman, chief, honcho, boss
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: supervisor
Narrower terms: baas, ganger, straw boss, assistant foreman
noun
Meaning 10
an electrician responsible for lighting on a movie or tv set
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: electrician, lineman, linesman
noun
Meaning 11
an elderly man
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: old-timer, oldtimer, old geezer, antique
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: old man, greybeard, graybeard, Methuselah
History
Etymology
From gaff (“hook”) + -er. * (cinema): The natural lighting on early film sets was adjusted by opening and closing flaps in the tent cloths, called gaff cloths or gaff flaps. * (glass)
Likely a contraction of godfather, but with the vowels influenced by grandfather. Compare French compère, German Gevatter. Compare also Old English ġefædera (“godfather”), of which some unattested dialectal descendant may have been an influence.
Across languages
Translations
44 source translations are retained for this English entry.
- Bulgarian: осветител (osvetitel) — chief lighting technician
- Catalan: gaffer — chief lighting technician
- Czech: vrchní osvětlovač — chief lighting technician
- Danish: lysmand — chief lighting technician
- Dutch: gaffer — chief lighting technician
- Finnish: valaistusmestari — chief lighting technician
- French: éclairagiste — chief lighting technician
- German: Oberbeleuchter — chief lighting technician
- Icelandic: ljósameistari — chief lighting technician
- Irish: saoiste — chief lighting technician
- Italian: responsabile luci — chief lighting technician
- Romanian: maestru de lumini — chief lighting technician
- Russian: гла́вный освети́тель (glávnyj osvetítelʹ) — chief lighting technician
- Bulgarian: старче (starče) — old man
- Bulgarian: дядка (djadka) — old man
- Czech: strejc — old man
- Danish: gammel mand — old man
- Finnish: ukko — old man
- Finnish: äijä — old man
- Finnish: taata — old man
- Georgian: მოხუცი (moxuci) — old man
- Georgian: ბერიკაცი (beriḳaci) — old man
- Georgian: ბებერი (beberi) — old man
- Italian: vecchio — old man
- Italian: anziano — old man
- Romanian: moșneag — old man
- Romanian: moș — old man
- Romanian: bătrân — old man
- Russian: стари́к (starík) — old man
- Ottoman Turkish: دده (dede) — old man
- Bulgarian: бригадир (brigadir) — foreman
- Czech: předák — foreman
- Czech: mistr — foreman
- Danish: formand — foreman
- Finnish: pomo — foreman
- Finnish: kymppi — foreman
- French: contre-maître — foreman
- Georgian: ათისთავი (atistavi) — foreman
- Italian: caposquadra — foreman
- Romanian: maistru — foreman
- Russian: деся́тник (desjátnik) — foreman
- Russian: бригади́р (brigadír) — foreman
- Finnish: pikipöksy — sailor
- Georgian: მეზღვაური (mezɣvauri) — sailor