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Gaffe vs Guffaw - What's the difference?

gaffe | guffaw |

As nouns the difference between gaffe and guffaw

is that gaffe is a foolish and embarrassing error, especially one made in public while guffaw is a boisterous laugh.

As a verb guffaw is

to laugh boisterously.

gaffe

English

Alternative forms

* gaff

Noun

(en noun)
  • A foolish and embarrassing error, especially one made in public.
  • Synonyms

    * blooper, blunder, boo-boo, bozo eruption, defect, error, fault, faux pas, fluff, lapse, mistake, slip, stumble, thinko * See also

    See also

    * malapropism * Freudian slip * Bushism ----

    guffaw

    English

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A boisterous laugh
  • *
  • On opening the little door, two hairy monsters flew at my throat, bearing me down, and extinguishing the light; while a mingled guffaw from Heathcliff and Hareton put the copestone on my rage and humiliation.
  • * 1906 , , ch. xx,
  • He walked to the edge and they heard his hoarse guffaw of laughter as the arrows clanged and clattered against his impenetrable mail.
  • * 1936 , , ch. 15,
  • He heaved up with a sulfurous curse, braced his legs and glared about him, with a burst of coarse guffaws in his ears and the reek of unwashed bodies in his nostrils.

    Synonyms

    * (boisterous laugh) belly laugh

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To laugh boisterously.
  • * 1891 , , ch. 15,
  • He guffawed at his adversaries.
  • * 1900 , ,
  • Peter, on the contrary, threw back his head and guffawed thunderously.

    Synonyms

    * See also