A thief or burglar, particularly in South African English slang.
From Afrikaans 'dief' meaning thief, derived from Dutch 'dief' with Germanic roots related to Old English 'þeof'. The word entered English through contact with South African communities.
This word shows how English constantly borrows from other languages it encounters—South African English is full of Dutch and Afrikaans words that reflect centuries of cultural contact and colonial history.
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.