gaffer

Meaning

Noun

• A chief lighting technician for a motion-picture or television production.
• A glassblower.
• An old man.
• The leader of a group or team, such as a boss, foreman, coach.
• A sailor.
• The baby in the house.

Origin

• From gaff + -er.
• The natural lighting on early film sets was adjusted by opening and closing flaps in the tent cloths, called gaff cloth or gaff flap.
• Likely a contraction of godfather, but with the vowels influenced by grandfather. Compare French compère, German Gevatter.