gaffe

A foolish and embarrassing error, especially one made in public; a social blunder; a breach of etiquette.

Noun

  1. A foolish and embarrassing error, especially one made in public; a social blunder; a breach of etiquette.
    • make a gaffe

    Synonyms: blooper blunder mistake error slip slip-up aberration bloomer boner boo-boo break clanger cock-up fault faux pas floater flub fluff fuckup gaffe goof howler inaccuracy lapse

Origin

From French gaffe (“blunder”). Doublet of gaff.

Forms

gaffes gaff

Related

Bushism faux pas Freudian slip malapropism

Derived

Kinsley gaffe