Where does “daff” come from?
daff (English) comes from Middle English daffen, from Middle English daf, from Old Norse daufr, from Proto-Germanic daubaz, from Proto-Indo-European dʰewbʰ-, from Proto-Indo-European dʰewh₂- — smoke; mist, haze.
daff (English): A fool; an idiot; a blockhead; To be foolish;...
Definitions
- A fool; an idiot; a blockhead; To be foolish;...
Ancestry of “daff”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Middle English | daffen | to render foolish |
| 2 | Middle English | daf | — |
| 3 | Old Norse | daufr | deaf |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | daubaz | stunned; deaf |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | dʰewbʰ- | deep |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | dʰewh₂- | smoke; mist, haze |
Words derived from “daff”