kaffir

Meaning

1. (countable, offensive) In Islamic contexts, a non-Muslim.
2. (countable, offensive) A member of the Nguni people of southern Africa, especially a Xhosa.
3. (Namibia, Rhodesia, South-Africa, countable, derogatory, ethnic, offensive, slur) A black person.
4. (historical, offensive, uncountable) A language spoken by the Nguni peoples of southern Africa, especially Xhosa.
5. (countable, historical, slang, uncountable) South African mining shares
6. (abbreviation, alt-of, ellipsis, uncountable) Ellipsis of kaffir corn.

Synonyms

kafir

kafir corn

caffer

caffre

kaffir corn

great millet

Sorghum bicolor

kaffer

Translations

cafre

kaffer

κάφρος

sorgho

Caffre

kafir

sorgho commun

kâfir

sorghum bicolor

caffre

elica

saggina

Sorghum bicolor

sorgo coltivato

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ˈkæfə/

Etymology

Ultimately from Arabic كَفَّار (kaffār, “infidel”) or كَافِر (kāfir, “unbeliever”), both from كَفَرَ (kafara, “to cover, to hide”); in some (especially early) uses, via Spanish cafre, Dutch kaffer or other European languages. Doublet of kafir.