411 REFERENCE · Wiktionary
Neffe
Reference material by Wiktionary contributors. This retains its source identity and is not 411 news reporting.
neffe
German
Alternative forms
de Nefe obsolete
Etymology
From de gmh neve, from de goh nefo, goh nevo, from de gmw-pro *nefō, from de gem-pro *nefô. Cognate with nl neef, obsolete en neve. Further from de ine-pro *népōts, whence en nephew, which see for more.
The form with de -ff- is irregular and was spread by Martin Luther Luther. The development -v- → -ff- before a sonorant (here the n of the inflected forms) is also found in Early Modern German de Offen, Freffel for de Ofen, Frevel, and frequently in Low German; compare gml effen, gaffel, neffel, neffen for gml even, gavel, nevel, neven (the last in the sense of “next to”).
Pronunciation
de /ˈnɛfə/
de De-Neffe.ogg
de De-Neffe2.ogg <<Germany>> (<<Berlin>>)
Noun
m.weak Nichte
nephew son of one's sibling or sibling-in-law
de obsolete another male relative, especially a grandson, but also a cousin etc.
Declension
m.weak
Descendants
nds-de Neffe 1 1
hsb nefa 1
Further reading
de Male family members