noun

oaf

OHF/əʊf/

A clumsy or foolish person.

I feel like an oaf whenever I knock something over.

An obliviously clumsy guest turns too abruptly beside a small refreshment table, knocking a pitcher over with his elbow while stepping on another guest's foot.

Etymology

A Scandinavian source such as Norwegian alfr, 'silly person,' connects the word with the older sense 'elf.' English oaf first meant a fairy changeling, then became an insult for a foolish person.

In context

Ion Books195:04

of all the female oafs she had ever seen, Augusta Fawn was the greatest oaf.

The Eustace Diamonds by Anthony Trollope - Part 1/3 | Full Audiobook with Scrolling Text

More examples

That clumsy oaf just stepped on my foot.
Don't be an oaf—read the instructions before you start.
The comedy follows two lovable oafs who get everything wrong.

Forms

oaf · oafs

oafish adjective — Clumsy or foolish in behavior.

Similar words

klutz: Emphasizes physical clumsiness rather than foolish thinking or behavior.
fool: Emphasizes poor judgment rather than awkward movements or clumsiness.