Masculine

boef

Meaning

Concepts

(masculine) crook, thief, thug
(masculine) rascal, scamp

Frequency

Pronounced as (IPA)

/buf/

Inherited from Middle Dutch

Inherited from Old Dutch

Cognate with English

Cognate with German

Cognate with Icelandic

Cognate with English

In summary

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.