buffel, noun
/ˈbəfəl/
- Forms:
- Also buffle.
- Origin:
- South African Dutch, Afrikaans, EnglishShow more South African Dutch (later Afrikaans), buffalo; the first citation is perhaps the obsolete English buffle.
1.
a. ?obsolete. rare. The buffalo (sense 1), Syncerus caffer.
1731 G. Medley tr. of P. Kolben’s Present State of Cape of G.H. II. 109Buffles or Buffaloes are numerous in the Cape countries. They are larger than the European Buffles, and of a brown Red.
b. combinations
buffelgras, buffelsgras /-ˌxras/ [Afrikaans, gras grass], or partially translated buffel grass /-ˌɡrɑːs/, buffalo grass ;
buffeldoorn, buffelsdoorn obsolete [South African Dutch, doorn thorn], the buffalo thorn (see buffalo sense 2), Ziziphus mucronata .
2. Military. Usually with initial capital. An armoured, mine-proofed troop carrier with a V-shaped body, used by the South African defence forces. Also attributive. See also Casspir, eland sense 2, hippo, Olifant, ratel sense 2, spook noun sense 2.
1980 Daily Dispatch 21 July 1An infantry-man in an armoured Buffel troop carrier spotted three insurgents in the bush, and the patrol opened fire when they started to run away.
1993 J. Slovo Informant, Johannesburg, GautengThe enemy has the Casspirs,..the enemy has the buffels,..but we have the majority.
The buffalo (sense 1), Syncerus caffer.
Usually with initial capital.An armoured, mine-proofed troop carrier with a V-shaped body, used by the South African defence forces. Also attributive.
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