erf

English

Pronunciation

• Rhymes: -ɜː(ɹ)f

Etymology 1

From Middle English erve, erfe, from Old English yrfe, ierfe (“heritage, bequest, inheritance, property, inherited property, property that passes to an heir, cattle, livestock”), from Proto-Germanic *arbiją (“heritage”), from Proto-Indo-European *h₃erbʰ- (“to change ownership”) (whence also *h₃órbʰos (“orphan”)). Cognate with Dutch erf (“inheritance, patrimony, ground, courtyard”), German Erbe (“heritage, legacy, inheritance”), Danish arv (“heritage, inheritance”), Swedish arv (“heritage, inheritance”), Gothic 𐌰𐍂𐌱𐌹 (arbi, “inheritance”), Latin orbus (“orphan”), Ancient Greek ὀρφανός (orphanós, “orphan”), Old English ierfa (“heir”). Related to orf.

Noun

erf (plural erfs)

1. (Northern England, Scotland, rare) Inheritance; patrimony.

   Son, you will have this farm to erf.

2. (by extension) Stock; cattle.

Derived terms

• erfkin

References

• The Dictionary of the Scots Language

Etymology 2

Borrowed from obsolete Dutch erf (“hereditament, plot of land”). Doublet of erf above.

Noun

erf (plural erfs or erven)

1. (US regional, Cape Colony, New York, South Africa) A small inherited house-and-garden lot in a village or settlement.

Etymology 3

Noun

erf

1. (mathematics) Abbreviation of error function.

Anagrams

• REF, Ref, Ref., f***er, fer, ref

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Dutch

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ɛrf/

• Audio

  (file)

• Hyphenation: erf
• Rhymes: -ɛrf

Etymology 1

From Middle Dutch erve, from Old Dutch ervi, from Proto-Germanic *arbiją.

Noun

erf n (plural erven, diminutive erfje n)

1. yard (open area adjoining and belonging to a house)
2. (figuratively) heritage, patrimony
3. (obsolete, law) hereditament, especially a plot of land

   Antonym: kateel

4. (obsolete) inheritance

   Synonyms: erfenis, erfdeel

Derived terms

• achtererf
• boerenerf
• erfdeel
• erfdienstbaarheid
• erfelijk
• erfenis
• erfgenaam
• erfgoed
• schoolerf
• speelerf
• voorerf
• woonerf

 

Descendants

• Afrikaans: erf
• → English: erf

Etymology 2

See the etymology of the main entry.

Verb

erf

1. first-person singular present indicative of erven
2. imperative of erven

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Middle English

Noun

erf

1. Alternative form of erve