mafoo en · NOUN
Pronunciation
- /ˈmɑːfuː/ (UK)
Etymology
From Mandarin 馬伕 /马伕 (mǎfū), from 馬 /马 (mǎ, “horse”) + 伕 (fū, “servant, labourer”).
Meanings
-
In China, someone who looks after horses in a stable; a groom.
The mafoos held their charges miserably, as if sick with nerves.
1977, John Le Carré, The Honourable Schoolboy, Folio Society, published 2010, page 144:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| mafoos | Number=Plur | lexicographic |
Translations (1)
fr mafou (a horse groom (in China))