411 REFERENCE · Wiktionary
Gauner
Reference material by Wiktionary contributors. This retains its source identity and is not 411 news reporting.
gauner
German
Etymology
From thieves’ cant (de Rotwelsch) de Jauner, Joner gambler, cardsharp, attested ca. 1500 alongside the verb de jonen. Further usually derived from de yi יוון Yoven/Yovon Greece, from de he יוון yāwān יָוָן, because Greeks were said to be skilful cardsharps (compare fr Grec in this sense). The anlaut is due to hypercorrection based on the widespread Central German pronunciation of initial de g- as /j/. The form was established by Gotthold_Ephraim_Lessing Lessing.
Pronunciation
de /ˈɡaʊ̯nər/ [ˈɡaʊ̯.nɐ]
de De-Gauner.ogg <<Germany>> (<<Berlin>>)
Noun
m in
de informal petty thief, crook, racketeer
de Ganove Halunke Kleinkrimineller
de informal sly, cunning person
de Schlitzohr Schlawiner
Declension
m
Derived terms
de Gaunerei
de gaunern, de ergaunern
See also
de Betrüger
de Schwindler
Further reading