Where does “Kaffer” come from?

Kaffer (German) comes from English kaffir, from Dutch kaffer, from Spanish cafre, from Arabic كَافِر — infidel; denier, unbeliever; infidel; unbeliever.

Kaffer (German): kaffir

Definitions

  1. kaffir

Ancestry of “Kaffer”, step by step

Kaffer traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English kaffir

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishkaffirIn Islamic contexts, a non-Muslim; A member of...
2DutchkafferA non-believer or an infidel from the Muslim...
3Spanishcafreuncouth, boorish
4Arabicكَافِرinfidel; denier, unbeliever; infidel; unbeliever

via Yiddish כּפֿר

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Yiddishכּפֿר—
2Hebrewכפר—
3Aramaicכַּפְרָא—
4Akkadiankaprumvillage, farm
Every word from Arabic كَافِر →Every word from Spanish cafre →Every word from Dutch kaffer →