caitiff
pronunciation
How to pronounce caitiff in British English:
UK ['keɪtɪf]
How to pronounce caitiff in American English:
US ['keɪtɪf]
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- Noun:
- a cowardly and despicable person
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- Adjective:
- despicably mean and cowardly
Word Origin
- caitiff (adj.)
- c. 1300, "wicked, base, cowardly," from Old North French caitive "captive, miserable" (Old French chaitif, 12c., Modern French chétif "puny, sickly, poor, weak"), from Latin captivum (see captive, which was a later, scholarly borrowing of the same word). In most Romance languages, it has acquired a pejorative sense.
- caitiff (n.)
- c. 1300, "wicked man, scoundrel," from Anglo-French caitif, noun use from Old North French caitive "captive, miserable" (see caitiff (adj.)). From mid-14c as "prisoner."
Example
- 1. 21 " I , indeed ! I am robin hood , as thy caitiff carcase soon shall know . "