Meaning
What does Heffer mean?
Heffer, sometimes written “heffa”, is a derogatory insult towards a very large woman.
The woman usually has an unhealthily high BMI, and if she is not yet obese, she is on the verge of being it.
Users of the term are usually much thinner people, either men or women, that feel the need to insult a person who has more fat on their body than themselves.
The “heffer”, while often known for being overweight, is also associated with behaving like a real witch.
She will also use snide comments and complain over everything, perhaps to cover up her insecurities.
Used to feel like a Heffer in this shirt, now I’m Rocking it
Origin
What's the origin of Heffer?
“Heffer” stems from “heifer”, an English term for a young, female cow that has not yet been pregnant.
Overweight women are often called “cows”, hence “heffer” is just another synonym.
“Heifer” started being used as a derogatory term towards women as far back as in 1835, and “heffer” was developed as the phonetic spelling of the original term in the early 2000’s.
Another alternative spelling is “heffa”.
Spread & Usage
How did Heffer spread?
The first online definition of the slang term was by Urban Dictionary user jimbob, who in February 2003 uploaded the definition.
It was used in the beginning of the 21st century, but slowly died off after the 2010’s due to backlash regarding fat shaming and hate speech against women.
Therefore, the usage is not nearly as apparent today as it was just a decade ago.
The other variations of the term, such as “heifer” and “heffa” is in the same position, and the term “heifer” is still mainly used in reference to cattle.