zefhttp://www.oed.com/dictionary/zef_adj%3Ftab%3Dmeaning_and_usezef, adj.
First published 2015

zefadjective (& noun)

Originally and chiefly South African slang.
  1. 1990–
    Originally (depreciative): typical of, or associated with, working-class white (esp. Afrikaans-speaking) people of relatively low social status; common; trashy. Now frequently: designating a style of music, dress, or youth culture ironically, knowingly, or ostentatiously appropriating aspects of this. Also as n.: this music or the dress and lifestyle associated with it.
    1. 1990
      Now I'm writing English with an Afrikaans name. I chose Koos Kombuis because I wanted a name that was as zeph as possible; something academics and purists would never accept.
      Style (South Africa) July 81
    2. 2010
      Afrikaans rap-tinged Euro-dance has a name, and its name is Zef.
      Guardian (Online edition) (Nexis) 5 February
    3. 2010
      If you are holding a glass of brandy and coke, you are probably zef. If you have mounted a spoiler on your 1989 Mazda, you are very zef indeed.
      Argus Weekend (South Africa) (Nexis) 14 March 8
    4. 2014
      Zef..refers to the lower-middle class counterculture of South Africa... ‘Zef is, you're poor but you're fancy. You're poor but you're sexy, you've got style.’
      Cape Times in iol.co.za South Africa 26 May (online newspaper, accessed 18 Dec. 2014)
    5. 2016
      Die Antwoord blends three languages into its music (English, Afrikaans and Xhosa) and promotes the ‘zef’ culture of being stylish and sexy in spite of monetary and social status in its music.
      Jerusalem Post (Nexis) 31 March 24

zef, adj. was first published in June 2015.

zef, adj. was last modified in July 2023.