Gaffe
/ɡæf/noun
A blunder or embarrassing mistake, especially in speech or public behavior.
Did you know?English got gaffe from French, where it meant a hook or grappling iron, then it was slang for a clumsy slip or mistake before becoming the modern “embarrassing blunder.”
Etymological Timeline
16th Century
French
gaffe
“A hook, pike, or grappling iron used to catch or haul something.”
19th Century
French
gaffe
“Slang for a blunder, blunderer, or awkward mistake.”
Late 19th Century
English
gaffe
“A blunder, especially a social or public one.”
Modern English
English
gaffe
“An embarrassing mistake or indiscreet remark.”