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Though movie and cinema buffs associate gaffer with Hollywood, the word actually pre-dates motion pictures by about 300 years. The first recorded use of gaffer dates from the 16th century, when it was used as a title of respect for an older gentleman. Later it was used as a generic noun for any elderly man, and then it picked up the sense "foreman" (still used in British English), perhaps because the foreman was the most experienced and, most likely, the oldest person in a work crew. Today gaffer is usually applied to the head lighting electrician on a movie set. The gaffer's assistant is called the best boy.
Examples of gaffer in a Sentence
Brian Davids, HollywoodReporter, 20 Jan. 2026
In the battle between McLaren and Red Bull for last year’s Formula One drivers’ title, a piece of gaffer tape was an unlikely flashpoint at the United States Grand Prix.
—Luke Smith, New York Times, 15 Jan. 2026
The only people who accompanied him were his gaffer, his first assistant camera, producer and still photographer; the rest were local hires arranged by production services company Jaguar Bite.
—Anna Marie De La Fuente, Variety, 10 Nov. 2025
Tarps and blankets can only be placed with painter's, gaffer or masking tapes.
—Grace Tucker, The Enquirer, 28 Aug. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Gaffer.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gaffer. Accessed 6 Feb. 2026.
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