chafer
[chey-fer]
- any scarabaeid beetle.
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Origin of chafer
before 1000; Middle English cheaffer, chaver, Old English ceofor; akin to German Käfer
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Examples from the Web for chafer
Historical Examples
As the chafer spoke they heard a shrill squeak overhead which chilled them to the very marrow.
Little JohannesFrederik van Eeden
Then the chafer, who was by a whole day the elder, disappeared among the blades of grass, leaving the other greatly impressed.
Little JohannesFrederik van Eeden
A chafer buzzed by, a small black cat played with its tail on some steps in a recess.
The FreelandsJohn Galsworthy
A single eye in his head, as broad as an oxhide, as black as a chafer, with three pupils therein.
Wide as an oxhide was the single eye protruding from his forehead, with seven pupils therein, which were black as a chafer.
chafer
- any of various scarabaeid beetles, such as the cockchafer and rose chafer
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Word Origin
Old English ceafor; related to Old Saxon kevera, Old High German chevar
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Word Origin and History for chafer
n.
kind of beetle, Old English ceafor "beetle, cock-chafer," from Proto-Germanic *kabraz- (cf. Old Saxon kevera, Dutch kever, Old High German chevar, German Käfer), literally "gnawer," from PIE *gep(h)- "jaw, mouth" (see jowl (n.1)).
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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper