A thief or dishonest person; a Yiddish slang term for someone who steals or cheats.
From Yiddish 'gonef' or 'gonif,' likely borrowed from Hebrew 'ganav' meaning 'thief.' The term became popular in English through Yiddish-speaking communities, especially in New York.
This word shows how languages blend when cultures interact—Yiddish brought many colorful words into American English slang, and 'gonof' remains a way to describe a rogue with a touch of humor!
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