Where does “oaf” come from?

Oaf comes from Old Norse alfr, from Proto-Germanic albiz, from Proto-Indo-European albʰós, with meaning uncertain through the transmission.

oaf (English): A person, especially a large male, who is clumsy...

Definitions

  1. A person, especially a large male, who is clumsy...

Ancestry of “oaf”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishawfAn elf
2Old NorseÁlfr
3Proto-Germanicalbizelf, fairy
4Proto-Indo-Europeanalbʰóswhite

Words derived from “oaf

Every word from Proto-Indo-European albʰósEvery word from Proto-Germanic albizEvery word from Old Norse Álfr
oaf — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer