boef

Dutch

Etymology

From Middle Dutch boef, boeve, bouve, from Old Dutch *buovo, from Proto-Germanic *bōbô, a reduplicated form of *bō- (“father, brother, male relative”).

Cognate with English bub, Pennsylvania Dutch Bub, German Bube, Icelandic bófi (“rogue, knave”). Related also to English babe, English boy.

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /buf/
Audio (file)
Hyphenation: boef
Rhymes: -uf

Noun

boef m (plural boeven, diminutive boefje n)

crook, thief, thug
rascal, scamp

Synonyms

(thief): dief

Derived terms

baanboef
boevengilde
boevenstreek
boeventaal
boeventronie
boevenwereld
geboefte
suzannaboef

Descendants

Afrikaans: boef