Schuft

According to Kluge, borrowed from Middle Low German schūvūt (“eagle owl”) (itself onomatopoeic in origin). The word may have been applied to criminals because, like the bird, they shy away from the light of day.

• IPA^(key): [ʃʊft]

• Audio:

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ʊft

Schuft m (strong, genitive Schuftes or Schufts, plural Schufte)

1. scoundrel, villain

• schuftig

• “Schuft” in Duden online
• “Schuft” in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache
• Friedrich Kluge (2002) “Schuft”, in Elmar Seebold, editor, Etymologisches Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache [Etymological Dictionary of the German Language] (in German), 24th edition, Berlin: Walter de Gruyter, →ISBN

From Middle Low German schūvūt (“eagle owl”), of imitative origin.

Schuft m (plural Schuften)

1. scoundrel, rogue, scamp