laf
Dutch
Etymology
From Middle Dutch laf, from Proto-Germanic *laba-, from Proto-Indo-European *leb- (“to hang loosely”).[1] Cognate with German laff (“slack, insipid”).
Pronunciation
Audio (file) - Rhymes: -ɑf
Adjective
laf (comparative laffer, superlative lafst)
- cowardly
- Maar de algemene regel is dat de man, "zwak of sterk", volgens Kuyper "Koning in zijn huis" is en dat "Een man die zijn vrouw in huis 'de baas laat spelen' laf en onmannelijk is. — But the general rule is that the man, "weak or strong," according to Kuyper "is king of his house" and that "a man who lets his wife 'play the boss' is cowardly and unmanly."
Inflection
Inflection of laf | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
uninflected | laf | |||
inflected | laffe | |||
comparative | laffer | |||
positive | comparative | superlative | ||
predicative/adverbial | laf | laffer | het lafst het lafste | |
indefinite | m./f. sing. | laffe | laffere | lafste |
n. sing. | laf | laffer | lafste | |
plural | laffe | laffere | lafste | |
definite | laffe | laffere | lafste | |
partitive | lafs | laffers | — |
Derived terms
- lafheid
- lafaard
Descendants
- → Papiamentu: laf
References
- Kroonen, Guus (2013), “laben”, in Etymological Dictionary of Proto-Germanic (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 11), Leiden, Boston: Brill, →ISBN, page 321
Anagrams
- afl.
Gagauz
Noun
laf
- word
Derived terms
- laflık
Icelandic
Etymology
Old Norse laf, from Proto-Germanic *lappa-, of uncertain origin, possibly Proto-Indo-European *leb- (“to hang loosely”).[1][2] If so, doublet of lafa.
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /laːv/
- Rhymes: -aːv
Noun
laf n (genitive singular lafs, nominative plural löf)
- lap, skirt (of a coat)
Declension
n-s | singular | plural | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
indefinite | definite | indefinite | definite | |
nominative | laf | lafið | löf | löfin |
accusative | laf | lafið | löf | löfin |
dative | lafi | lafinu | löfum | löfunum |
genitive | lafs | lafsins | lafa | lafanna |
References
- Douglas Harper (2001–2023), “lap”, in Online Etymology Dictionary.
- Roberts, Edward A. (2014) A Comprehensive Etymological Dictionary of the Spanish Language with Families of Words based on Indo-European Roots, Xlibris Corporation, →ISBN
Anagrams
- afl
Luxembourgish
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /laːf/
Verb
laf
- second-person singular imperative of lafen
Middle English
Noun
laf
- (Early Middle English) Alternative form of lof (“loaf, bread”)
Old English
Etymology
From Proto-West Germanic *laibu, from Proto-Germanic *laibō. More at lǣfan.
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /lɑːf/
Noun
lāf f
- remains/remainder
- legacy
- heirloom
- widow
Declension
Case | Singular | Plural |
---|---|---|
nominative | lāf | lāfa, lāfe |
accusative | lāfe | lāfa, lāfe |
genitive | lāfe | lāfa |
dative | lāfe | lāfum |
Descendants
- Middle English: love, lave, leve, loove; lafe, læve, loave
- English: lave
- Scots: lave
Old Frisian
![](Images/wiktionary/Leaf_1_web.jpg.webp)
Etymology
From Proto-West Germanic *laub, from Proto-Germanic *laubą, from Proto-Indo-European *lewbʰ- (“to break”). Cognates include Old English lēaf, Old Saxon lōf and Old Dutch lōf.
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /ˈlaːf/
Noun
lāf n
- leaf
Descendants
- West Frisian: leaf
References
- Bremmer, Rolf H. (2009) An Introduction to Old Frisian: History, Grammar, Reader, Glossary, Amsterdam: John Benjamins Publishing Company, →ISBN
Romanian
Etymology
Borrowed from Ottoman Turkish لاف (laf, “boast; chat”), from Persian لاف (lâf).
Noun
laf n (plural lafuri)
- twaddle
Declension
singular | plural | |||
---|---|---|---|---|
indefinite articulation | definite articulation | indefinite articulation | definite articulation | |
nominative/accusative | (un) laf | laful | (niște) lafuri | lafurile |
genitive/dative | (unui) laf | lafului | (unor) lafuri | lafurilor |
vocative | lafule | lafurilor |
Somali
Etymology
From Proto-Cushitic. Cognates include Oromo lafee and Rendille laf, Jiiddu lafi[1].
Noun
laf ?
- bone
References
- Salim Alio Ibro (1998) English-Jiddu-Somali Mini-Dictionary, La Trobe University Language Center, →ISBN
Turkish
Etymology
From Ottoman Turkish لاف (laf, “boast; chat”), from Persian لاف (lâf).
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /lɑf/, /ɫɑf/
Noun
laf (definite accusative lafı, plural laflar)
- (idiomatic) word
Declension
Inflection | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Nominative | laf | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Definite accusative | lafı | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Singular | Plural | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Nominative | laf | laflar | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Definite accusative | lafı | lafları | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Dative | lafa | laflara | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Locative | lafta | laflarda | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Ablative | laftan | laflardan | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Genitive | lafın | lafların | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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References
- laf in Turkish dictionaries at Türk Dil Kurumu
- Nişanyan, Sevan (2002–), “laf”, in Nişanyan Sözlük
- Redhouse, James W. (1890), “لاف”, in A Turkish and English Lexicon, Constantinople: A. H. Boyajian, page 1619
Volapük
Noun
laf (nominative plural lafs)
- half
Declension
singular | plural | |
---|---|---|
nominative | laf | lafs |
genitive | lafa | lafas |
dative | lafe | lafes |
accusative | lafi | lafis |
vocative 1 | o laf! | o lafs! |
predicative 2 | lafu | lafus |
- 1 status as a case is disputed
- 2 in later, non-classical Volapük only