Etymology Dictionary

GAFF,  a light fishing-spear; also, a sort of boom.  (F.,—C.)   The gaff of a ship takes its name from the fork-shaped end which rests against the mast.   'Gaff, an iron hook to pull great fishes into a ship; also, an artificial spur for a cock;' Kersey's Dict. ed. 1715.—O. F. gaffe, 'an iron hook wherewith sea-men pull great fishes into their ships;' Cot.   Cf. Span. and Port. gafa, a hook, gaff.   B. Of Celtic origin.—Irish gaf, gafa, a hook; with which cf. Irish gaohal, a fork, gabhla, a spear, lance; Welsh caff, a grasp, grapple, a sort of dungfork; gafael, a hold, grasp, gafl, a fork.   See further under Gable.   β. The root appears in Gael. and Irish gabh, to take, receive, Welsh cafael, to hold, get, grasp; cf. Lat. capere, to take, which is cognate with E. have.—✔KAP, to take, grasp.   Der. gavelock, a spear (W. gaflach), now obsolete; jav-e-lin, q.v. [†]

ADDENDA

M.E. gaffe, a hook, abt. A.D. 1308; Reliq. Antiq. ii. 174.