Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “ofay” come from?

ofay (English) comes from English foe, from Middle English fo, from Old English ġefāh, from Old English fāh, from Proto-West Germanic faih — coloured; hostile.

ofay (English): A white person; White; white-skinned

Definitions

  1. A white person; White; white-skinned

Ancestry of “ofay”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishfoeHostile; An enemy; A unit of energy equal to 10...
2Middle EnglishfoA foe or opponent; one that opposes and provides...
3Old Englishġefāhenemy
4Old Englishfāhcoloured; stained; dyed; tinged; shining;...
5Proto-West Germanicfaihcoloured; hostile
Every word from Proto-West Germanic faih →