erf

E1R1F4
UK/ɜːf/US/ɝf/

noun

Inheritance; patrimony.

“Son, you will have this farm to erf.”

OriginMiddle English erve ← Old English ierfe ← Proto-West Germanic *arbī →
Less commonScrabble 6
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Meanings

erf1

nounerf (plural erfs)

plural erfs

  1. Northern EnglandScotlandrareInheritance; patrimony.

    Son, you will have this farm to erf.

  2. broadlyStock; cattle.

erf2

nounerf (plural erfs or erven)

plural erfs · plural erven

  1. New YorkSouth AfricaUSregionalCape ColonyA small inherited house-and-garden lot in a village or settlement.

Origin

erf · noun

  1. Proto-Indo-European*h₃erbʰ-
  2. Proto-Germanic*arbiją
  3. Proto-West Germanic*arbī
  4. Old Englishierfe
  5. Middle Englisherve
  6. Englisherf

From Middle English erve, erfe, from Old English yrfe, ierfe (“heritage, bequest, inheritance, property, inherited property, property that passes to an heir, cattle, livestock”), from Proto-West Germanic *arbī, from Proto-Germanic *arbiją (“heritage”), from Proto-Indo-European *h₃erbʰ- (“to change ownership”) (whence also *h₃órbʰos (“orphan”)). Cognate with Dutch erf (“inheritance, patrimony, ground, courtyard”), German Erbe (“heritage, legacy, inheritance”), Danish arv (“heritage, inheritance”), Swedish arv (“heritage, inheritance”), Gothic 𐌰𐍂𐌱𐌹 (arbi, “inheritance”), Latin orbus (“orphan”), Ancient Greek ὀρφανός (orphanós, “orphan”), Old English ierfa (“heir”). Related to orf. Compare odal and athel.

More words from Middle English, Old English, Proto-West Germanic

Full word history & related roots →

erf · noun

  1. Proto-Indo-European*h₃erbʰ-
  2. Proto-Germanic*arbiją
  3. Proto-West Germanic*arbī
  4. Old Dutchervi
  5. Middle Dutcherve
  6. Dutcherf
  7. Englisherf

Borrowed from obsolete Dutch erf (“hereditament, plot of land”). Doublet of erf above.

More words from Dutch

Full word history & related roots →

Rhymes & wordplay

Rhymes with erf

earthsurfPerthturfnerfsmurfdearthMRFMurphserfkerfscurfdurfsnurfterf
All rhymes →

Sounds the same

earth (th-fronting)oeuf (non-rhotic)earth (th-fronting)oeuf (non-rhotic)

Anagrams

reffer
Cite this entry
APA

erf. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/erf

MLA

“erf.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/erf. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “erf,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/erf.

Source: erf on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.