Schaf

See also: Schåf and schaf

Alemannic German

Etymology

Probably borrowed from German Schaf, or else influenced by it. Doublet of Schooff, which was inherited.

Noun

Schaf n

1. (Uri, rare) sheep

References

• Abegg, Emil, (1911) Die Mundart von Urseren (Beiträge zur Schweizerdeutschen Grammatik. IV.) [The Dialect of Urseren], Frauenfeld, Switzerland: Huber & Co., page 73.

Central Franconian

Alternative forms

• Schaaf (Colognian Academy spelling)

Etymology

From Middle High German schaf, from Proto-Germanic *skapą.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ʃaːf/
• Homophone: Schav (may be distinguished by tone)

Noun

Schaf m or n (plural Schäf or Schafer, diminutive Schäfje or Schäfche)

1. (Ripuarian, western Moselle Franconian) cupboard

   Synonym: (eastern Moselle Franconian) Schank

Usage notes

• Masculine in Moselle Franconian. Traditionally neuter in Ripuarian, but now sometimes masculine after Standard German Schrank m. (This latter word may also be heard nowadays, but is not native.)

Derived terms

• Köcheschaf
• Kleederschaf

See also

• Schof

German

Etymology

From Middle High German schâf, from Old High German scāf.

Akin to Bavarian Schåf, Luxembourgish Schof, Hunsrik Schof, German Low German Schaap, Dutch schaap, Afrikaans skaap, English sheep, and West Frisian skiep. See sheep for more.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ʃaːf/
• Rhymes: -aːf

• Audio (Germany):

  (file)

• Homophone: scharf (some speakers)

Noun

Schaf n (strong, genitive Schafes or Schafs, plural Schafe, diminutive Schäfchen n or Schäflein n)

1. sheep

   Schafwolle ― sheep's wool

   ein Schaf scheren ― to shear a sheep

Usage notes

• The singular means especially, though not exclusively, a female sheep (modern standard German having no generally applicable word for ewe).

Declension

	singular			plural
	indef.	def.	noun	def.	noun
nominative	ein	das	Schaf	die	Schafe
genitive	eines	des	Schafes, Schafs	der	Schafe
dative	einem	dem	Schaf, Schafe1	den	Schafen
accusative	ein	das	Schaf	die	Schafe

Declension of Schaf [neuter, strong]

¹Now rare, see notes.

Hypernyms

• Tier n
• Säugetier n
• Nutztier n

Derived terms

• Hausschaf n
• Mutterschaf n
• Schafaufzucht f
• Schafbock m
• Schäfer m
• Schäferhund m
• Schaffell n
• Schaffleisch n
• Schafgarbe f
• Schafherde f
• Schafhirte m
• Schafkäse m
• Schafleder m
• Schäflein n
• Schafmilch f
• Schafschur f
• Schafskleid n
• Schafskopf m
• Schafweide f
• Schafwolle f
• Schafzucht f
• schwarzes Schaf n

Related terms

• (female sheep): Mutterschaf n (chiefly with young); Zibbe f (regional); Aue f (obsolete)
• (male sheep): Bock m, Schafbock m, Widder m; Hammel m (castrated)
• (young sheep): Lamm n

Descendants

• → Alemannic German: Schaf

Further reading

• “Schaf” in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache
• “Schaf” in Duden online
• “Schaf” in Deutsches Wörterbuch von Jacob und Wilhelm Grimm, 16 vols., Leipzig 1854–1961.
• Friedrich Kluge (1883) “Schaf”, in John Francis Davis, transl., Etymological Dictionary of the German Language, published 1891
• Schaf on the German Wikipedia.Wikipedia ^de

Luxembourgish

Etymology

From Middle High German schaf, from Old High German scaf, from Proto-West Germanic *skap, from Proto-Germanic *skapą. Cognate with regional German Schaff (“tub, vat; cupboard”), Dutch schap.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ʃaːf/
• Rhymes: -aːf

Noun

Schaf m (plural Schief)

1. cupboard; cabinet

Derived terms

• Kicheschaf
• Kleederschaf
• Wandschaf