General
keffel
What does keffel mean?
An old, worn-out or worthless horse — a nag. From Welsh 'ceffyl' (horse), but in English it picked up a sneer: the second-rate, knackered, sorry-looking kind. Once common in 19th-century underworld slang for a dodgy mount; now largely obsolete, but still rattles around in horse country and historical fiction.
"He bought some old keffel at the market and called it a racehorse."
Origin
From Welsh 'ceffyl' (horse), ultimately from Latin 'caballus'.
Frequently asked questions
What does keffel mean?
Keffel is a slang term for an old, worn-out horse — a nag. It comes from the Welsh word for horse.
How do you use keffel in a sentence?
You might say, "That poor old keffel can barely make it up the hill anymore."
Where does keffel come from?
It derives from the Welsh word for horse ('ceffyl').
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