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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
Grace Tucker, The Enquirer, 28 Aug. 2025
Our crew includes gaffers and key grips whose parents, and even grandparents, were in the industry.
—Gus Dominguez, IndieWire, 24 Aug. 2025
The bailiff pulled up gaffers tape from the floor and ripped off the white timeline sheets from the easel as Morris remained staring straight ahead.
—Stephanie Kuzydym, The Courier-Journal, 15 Aug. 2025
At one point, before the production got approval to use film, Gagné even borrowed a Bolex from a gaffer and bought film herself in order to shoot a time-lapse of the nature around the house.
—Abigail Lee, Variety, 11 June 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Gaffer.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gaffer. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.
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