Gaffa (also spelled gaffer tape or gaffa tape) is British informal shorthand for gaffer tape — the heavy-duty, cloth-backed adhesive tape used extensively in construction, film production, theatre, and general DIY. It is valued for its strength, versatility, and ability to be torn by hand. In British usage, 'gaffa' is the most common informal spoken form, while 'gaffer tape' is more standard in written or professional contexts. The word has the warm, practical energy of a tradesperson's vocabulary.
The exhaust was flapping loose on the motorway so he pulled over and wrapped it in gaffa until he could get to a garage.
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(UK, colloquial) Gaffer tape.
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Regional slang from around the English-speaking world — British, Australian, Irish, Caribbean, Nigerian, Filipino, AAVE, and the hyphenated-English dialects that make the internet sound local.
See all Regional & Other slang on Slangora.