oaf

noun

ˈōf 

plural oafs

1

: a stupid person : boob

a thoughtless, clueless oaf

—New York Times

2

: a big clumsy slow-witted person

Get out of my way, you big oaf.

oafish

ˈō-fish 

adjective

oafishly adverb

oafishness noun

Did you know?

Oaf Has a Fanciful History

A long time ago in England, it was believed that elves sometimes secretly exchanged their babies for human babies. This was used as an explanation when parents found themselves with a baby that failed to meet expectations or desires: these parents believed that their real baby had been stolen by elves and that a changeling had been left in its place. The label for such a child was auf, or alfe, (meaning "an elf's or a goblin's child"), which was later altered to form our present-day oaf. Although the linguistic history is not entirely clear, auf is likely from the Middle English alven, elven, meaning "elf" or "fairy." Today, the word oaf is no longer associated with babies and is instead applied to anyone who appears especially unintelligent or graceless.

Synonyms

• clod
• clodhopper
• gawk
• hulk
• lout
• lubber
• lug
• lump
• Neanderthal
• palooka

Examples of oaf in a Sentence

it's not polite to call your brother a stupid oaf

anyone who took him for an oaf and tried to cheat him would be in for a nasty surprise

Recent Examples on the Web

Either Sandler could make great work but cynically chooses not to in order to make more money, or Sandler is a talentless oaf who somehow was able to achieve something actually good with the help of a visionary director. —Jesse David Fox, Vulture, 16 Mar. 2024

As women have enjoyed more economic opportunities, they’re less often forced to marry some oaf who gets violent after a few drinks — and, anyway, what self-respecting woman with independent means would want to marry, say, a fan of Andrew Tate? —Nicholas Kristof, The Mercury News, 2 Apr. 2024

However, the main resident of the island where the adventure takes place is — surprise, surprise — the large and lethargic blueish oaf known as Snorlax. —Eric Lagatta, USA TODAY, 7 July 2023

Roberts argues that George III was not the monstrous oaf typically described by historians, but was practically perfect in every way, as pure an example of the Enlightenment as could be imagined – except, Roberts implies, where the Enlightenment got things wrong. —Steve Donoghue, The Christian Science Monitor, 8 Feb. 2022

Word History

Etymology

alteration of auf, alfe goblin's child, probably from Middle English alven, elven elf, fairy, from Old English elfen nymphs; akin to Old English ælf elf — more at elf

First Known Use

1682, in the meaning defined at sense 1

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Kids Definition

oaf

noun

ˈōf 

: a stupid or awkward person

oafish

ˈō-fish 

adjective

oafishness noun

Etymology

derived from auf, alfe "goblin's child," probably from Middle English alven, elven "elf, fairy," from Old English elfen "nymphs"