different between debuff vs nerf

English

Etymology

de- +? buff (“to make a player or item stronger”)

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /di??b?f/, /di??b?f/
• Rhymes: -?f

Noun

debuff (plural debuffs)

1. (role-playing games, video games) An effect that makes a game character weaker; a negative status effect.

Synonyms

• status ailment
• nerf

Antonyms

• buff
• revamp
• renew
• improve

Verb

debuff (third-person singular simple present debuffs, present participle debuffing, simple past and past participle debuffed)

1. (role-playing games, video games) To make a character or unit weaker.

See also

• status effect

Anagrams

• buffed

English

Pronunciation

• (General American) IPA^(key): /n?f/
• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /n??f/
• Rhymes: -??(?)f

Etymology 1

Circa 1950s? (This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

Verb

nerf (third-person singular simple present nerfs, present participle nerfing, simple past and past participle nerfed)

1. (motor racing, transitive) To bump lightly, whether accidentally or purposefully.

   A racer will often nerf another as a psychological tactic.

Derived terms

• nerf bar
• nerf net

Etymology 2

From the Nerf brand of toys designed as non-dangerous counterparts of existing things, such as sports balls and guns.

Verb

nerf (third-person singular simple present nerfs, present participle nerfing, simple past and past participle nerfed)

1. (transitive, slang, video games) To cripple or weaken an element of a video game during its development (such as a character, a weapon, a spell, etc.).

   Synonym: gimp

   The lightning spell was originally pretty powerful, but in the sequel they nerfed it so it became completely useless.

2. (transitive, slang) To arbitrarily limit or reduce the capability of.

Derived terms

• stealth nerf

Synonyms

• debuff, worsen, deteriorate, cripple, declaw, defang, degenerate

Antonyms

• ameliorate, buff (game slang), improve, renew, renovate, revamp

Noun

nerf (plural nerfs)

1. (slang, video games) The deterioration, weakening or worsening of a character, a weapon, a spell, etc.

Anagrams

• Fern, fern, fren, fren'

Dutch

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /n?rf/
• Hyphenation: nerf
• Rhymes: -?rf

Etymology 1

From earlier nerve, from Middle Dutch *narwe, either inherited from Old Dutch *narwa or borrowed from Middle Low German narwe, eventually from Proto-Germanic *narw?, from earlier *arwaz (“scar”).

For the change of -rwe ? -rf, compare verf. Cognate with German Narbe (“scar”).

Noun

nerf f (plural nerven, diminutive nerfje n)

1. grain of wood
2. (dated) a similar line in leather, paper, etc.

Derived terms

• houtnerf

Etymology 2

From Latin nervus. The botanic sense belongs historically to this word, but is semantically close to etymology 1 and hence not necessarily felt as a distinct word.

Noun

nerf f (plural nerven, diminutive nerfje n)

1. (obsolete) nerve

   Synonym: zenuw

2. (botany) vein of a leaf

Derived terms

• bladnerf

References

French

Etymology

From Middle French nerf, from Old French nerf, inherited from Latin nervus.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /n??/

Noun

nerf m (plural nerfs)

1. (anatomy) nerve
2. (figuratively) force, power, strength

   Les nerfs, les garçons! On n'est pas sur un bateau de plaisance. — Put some muscle into it, boys! We are not on a pleasure boat!

Derived terms

Related terms

• neurone

Further reading

• “nerf” in Trésor de la langue française informatisé (The Digitized Treasury of the French Language).

Middle French

Etymology

From Old French nerf.

Noun

nerf m (plural nerfz)

1. nerve

Descendants

• French: nerf

Old French

Etymology

From Latin nervus.

Noun

nerf m (oblique plural ners, nominative singular ners, nominative plural nerf)

1. nerve

Related terms

• nerveus

Descendants

• Middle French: nerf
  • French: nerf

Welsh

Etymology

Borrowed from Medieval Latin nervus (“nerve”), from Latin nervus (“sinew”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /n?rv/

Noun

nerf f (plural nerfau, not mutable)

1. nerve

Derived terms

• nerfol
• nerfus