Victorian & Edwardian · word · noun (also verb: maffick)
mafficking
MAF-ik-ing /ˈmæfɪk/ (maffick)pronunciation given by a dictionary
First recorded1900
Wild, rowdy public celebration of a victory. It was coined as a pun on Mafeking, the South African garrison town whose relief on 17 May 1900 set off riotous street celebrations in London; the verb 'to maffick' was back-formed from it.
Where it was first recorded
Coined in the London press in 1900 after the relief of Mafeking (Boer War); first recorded date 1900 per Etymonline and Merriam-Webster; first publication not named.
Related: maffick (verb), mafficker (noun)
In its own time
But far the greater number of the inhabitants lead a sober life, only breaking out into occasional excess on “mafficks” of authorised national rejoicing, on the days of public holiday, or on the last night of the year, and other periods of unusual solemnity.
Today
Modern exampleWhen the local team finally won the cup, the whole town went mafficking until dawn.
Fine to use today, but it is rare and historical; it works best for over-the-top public celebrations.
Rooted in a colonial war; the word itself is not offensive.
Questions
What does mafficking mean?
Wild, rowdy public celebration of a victory. It was coined as a pun on Mafeking, the South African garrison town whose relief on 17 May 1900 set off riotous street celebrations in London; the verb 'to maffick' was back-formed from it.
When was mafficking first used?
It is first recorded 1900 — Coined in the London press in 1900 after the relief of Mafeking (Boer War); first recorded date 1900 per Etymonline and Merriam-Webster; first publication not named.
Can you still use mafficking today?
Fine to use today, but it is rare and historical; it works best for over-the-top public celebrations.
Sources
- maffick — Online Etymology Dictionary
- Passing English of the Victorian Era (1909), s.v. Mafficking — J. Redding Ware (archive.org)
- maffick — Merriam-Webster
- maffick / mafficking — Wiktionary
Checked 2026-09-30 · verdict: attested — found in the dictionaries and texts listed above