oaf
nounUK /əʊf/ · US /oʊf/
Etymology Variant of awf, aufe, probably from Old Norse álfr (“elf”) (whence Norwegian Bokmål alv). Doublet of alf and elf.
1
Derogatory A person, especially a large male, who is clumsy or a simpleton.
- Ouch! You dropped that box on my feet, you lumbering oaf!
2
Dated, Derogatory An ill-mannered person; a boor.
- I hope you haven't been thinking me an awful oaf for not writing to thank you for so many jolly games after I left Tapsfield?1934, Ernest Bramah, The Bravo of London:
3
Obsolete An elf's child; a changeling left by fairies or goblins, hence, a deformed or foolish child.
- Derived terms
- oafdom, oafish, oaflike, oaf-rocked