Speakur

Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

gaffe

/ɡæf/

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 2.66 in modern English

Syllables
gaffe
IPA
/ɡæf/
12
Scrabble Score
5
Letters
1
Syllables
4
Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

A foolish and embarrassing error, especially one made in public; a social blunder; a breach of etiquette.

Example Sentences

Etymology

From French gaffe (“blunder”). Doublet of gaff.

Origin

Word Breakdown

Inflected Forms

gaffes (plural) gaff (alternative)

Phrases

Kinsley gaffe faux pas Freudian slip

Frequently Paired Words

Bushism faux pas Freudian slip malapropism

Synonyms

blooper blunder mistake error slip slip-up aberration bloomer boner boo-boo break clanger

Homonyms

gaff

Rhymes With

half staff laugh fail-safe behalf graph calf raf giraffe graf graff chaff

Questions

How do you pronounce gaffe?
The recorded pronunciation is /ɡæf/.
What does gaffe mean?
A foolish and embarrassing error, especially one made in public; a social blunder; a breach of etiquette.
Where does gaffe come from?
It is traced to French.

How to pronounce gaffe

  1. Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “gaffe”.
  2. Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/ɡæf/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
  3. Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “gaffe”.
  4. Repeat and practice — Say “gaffe” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.