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Neffe. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word
Neffe, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say
Neffe in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word
Neffe you have here. The definition of the word
Neffe will help you to be more precise and correct when speaking or writing your texts. Knowing the definition of
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German
Alternative forms
Etymology
From Middle High German neve, from Old High German nefo, nevo, from Proto-West Germanic *nefō, from Proto-Germanic *nefô. Cognate with Dutch neef, obsolete English neve. Further from Proto-Indo-European *népōts, whence English nephew, which see for more.
The form with -ff- is irregular and was spread by Luther. The development -v- → -ff- before a sonorant (here the n of the inflected forms) is also found in Early Modern German Offen, Freffel for Ofen, Frevel, and frequently in Low German; compare Middle Low German effen, gaffel, neffel, neffen for even, gavel, nevel, neven (the last in the sense of “next to”).
Pronunciation
Noun
Neffe m (weak, genitive Neffen, plural Neffen, feminine Nichte)
- nephew (son of one's sibling or sibling-in-law)
- (obsolete) another male relative, especially a grandson, but also a cousin etc.
Declension
Descendants
- →? German Low German: Neffe
Further reading
- “Neffe” in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache
- “Neffe” in Duden online
- “Neffe” in Uni Leipzig: Wortschatz-Lexikon