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Siff. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word
Siff, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say
Siff in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word
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German
Etymology
From Syph f (“syphilis”), clipping of Syphilis, either directly or as a back-formation from versifft (also spelt versypht).[1][2] The use for “filth” has existed in slang since at least the 1960s; it became more widely accepted during the 1980s.
While the origin from Syphilis is not in doubt, note that dialectally (e.g. Rhineland, parts of Hesse) there is a verb seifen, siffen, siefen (“to ooze, seep”), from Middle High German sīfen, from Proto-Germanic *sīpaną, by which it may have been influenced or reinforced.
Pronunciation
Noun
Siff m (strong, genitive Siffs, no plural) (colloquial)
- filth, dirt, especially moist or greasy kinds
- Synonyms: Schmiere, Schmutz
Das Badezimmer ist ein einziger Siff!- (please add an English translation of this usage example)
2008, Joachim Moras, Hans Paeschke, Merkur, volume 62, page 182:Ein Radio plärrt durch die offene Tür. Arbeiterimbiss – ein Siff von Dosenravioli, Discountkäse, Drecksbier und Dönerpapieren. Überquellender Kippenfänger auf Sperrmülltisch, Sperrholzstühle und Do-it-yourself-Küchenschränke.- (please add an English translation of this quotation)
- (rare or regional) nonsense, tosh
Declension
Derived terms
References
- ^ “Siff” in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache
- ^ “Siff” in Duden online
Further reading
Luxembourgish
Etymology
From Middle High German sif, from Old High German (*)sif, northern variant of sib, from Proto-West Germanic *sibi. Cognate with German Sieb, Dutch zeef, English sieve.
Pronunciation
Noun
Siff m (plural Siffer)
- sieve