# chafe

> English word · Noun · IPA /t͡ʃeɪf/ · frequency rank #59,270

## Definitions
1. Heat excited by friction.
2. Injury or wear caused by friction.
3. Vexation; irritation of mind; rage.

## Etymology
From Middle English chaufen (“to warm”), borrowed from Old French chaufer (modern French chauffer), from Latin calefacere, calfacere (“to make warm”), from calere (“to be warm”) + facere (“to make”). See caldron.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/chafe