chav en · NOUN
Pronunciation
- (UK) audio
- /t͡ʃæv/ (General-American, Received-Pronunciation)
Etymology
Origin uncertain; probably of Angloromani origin. Compare Romani chavi (“male child”) or ćhavo, shavo (“female child”), chal (“boy”), chavvy (“mate, friend”), compare Swedish tjej; possibly cognate with Portuguese chavalo, Spanish chaval, German Chabo, Russian чувак (čuvak), Hungarian csávó. See also charva. Derivations from council-housed and violent, Cheltenham average (and similar) are folk-etymological backronyms.
Meanings
-
(Ireland, UK, derogatory, offensive) A working-class youth, especially one associated with aggression, poor education, and a perceived "common" taste in clothing and lifestyle.
Lyrical staff / Never could they ever take me for a chav / Scholar in the English, scholar in the Math / Dizzee ain't no riff raff
a. 2009, Dizzee Rascal, “Creeper (Freestyle)”:His book concerns ‘chavs’, a supposed underclass of ill-educated, fast-breeding, violent and amoral poor people currently plaguing Britain.
2011 June 18, “Giving the poor a good kicking”, in The Economist:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| chavs | Number=Plur | lexicographic |
Coordinates
dobber · wide boy · spiv · chavette · geezer
Deriveds
chavish · antichav · chavvery · chavness · chavster · chavism · chavvy · chavtastic · chavving · chavdom
Hypernyms
villain · teenager · troublemaker · pauper
Relateds
Synonyms
benny · scunner · white trash · radgie · charva · ned · scanger · adlay · townie · puffy · prole · nob · herbert · Barry boy · vic · gippo · rudie · sweeper · scratter · smackhead · thug · dumbo · mev · scumbag · scuffer · chav · pikey · roadman · knacker · yarco · bam · poor white trash · thugette · charver · skeet · dresser · bogan · stig · bopper · spide · Westie · eshay · rudeboy · steek · wigger · pleb · snoopy · scally · trev · ocker · sham · scrub · smick · yob · pikey · charva · hood rat · scoundrel · trailer trash · gazza · dobber · scutter · ned · schemie · scrote · bazza · scobe · skanger · yobbo · brush · redneck · kev · scrubber
Translations (35)
yue MK仔 (relating to a youth from a working class background, aggressive with poor education) · it tamarro (relating to a youth from a working class background, aggressive with poor education) · es choni (relating to a youth from a working class background, aggressive with poor education) · eo misgustulo (relating to a youth from a working class background, aggressive with poor education) · fr cacou (relating to a youth from a working class background, aggressive with poor education) · es poligonera (relating to a youth from a working class background, aggressive with poor education) · he עַרְס (relating to a youth from a working class background, aggressive with poor education) · ro bombardier (relating to a youth from a working class background, aggressive with poor education) · nan-hbl 阿明 (relating to a youth from a working class background, aggressive with poor education) · fr racaille (relating to a youth from a working class background, aggressive with poor education) · fi rakkari (relating to a youth from a working class background, aggressive with poor education) · de Asi (relating to a youth from a working class background, aggressive with poor education) · it scugnizzo (relating to a youth from a working class background, aggressive with poor education) · es cani (relating to a youth from a working class background, aggressive with poor education) · es poligonero (relating to a youth from a working class background, aggressive with poor education) · pt trombadinha (relating to a youth from a working class background, aggressive with poor education) · ja ヤンキー (relating to a youth from a working class background, aggressive with poor education) · it zingaro (relating to a youth from a working class background, aggressive with poor education) · eo marĝenulo (relating to a youth from a working class background, aggressive with poor education) · pl dresiara (relating to a youth from a working class background, aggressive with poor education) · ro cocalar (relating to a youth from a working class background, aggressive with poor education) · yue MK (em¹ kei¹) (relating to a youth from a working class background, aggressive with poor education) · pl dres (relating to a youth from a working class background, aggressive with poor education) · cmn 殺馬特 /杀马特 (relating to a youth from a working class background, aggressive with poor education) · sh dizelaš (relating to a youth from a working class background, aggressive with poor education) · pt maloqueiro (relating to a youth from a working class background, aggressive with poor education) · es flaite (relating to a youth from a working class background, aggressive with poor education) · ru го́пник (relating to a youth from a working class background, aggressive with poor education) · cmn 八加九 (relating to a youth from a working class background, aggressive with poor education) · el κάγκουρας (relating to a youth from a working class background, aggressive with poor education) · tr keko (relating to a youth from a working class background, aggressive with poor education) · de Proll (relating to a youth from a working class background, aggressive with poor education) · it coatto (relating to a youth from a working class background, aggressive with poor education) · ja チンピラ (relating to a youth from a working class background, aggressive with poor education) · pl dresiarz (relating to a youth from a working class background, aggressive with poor education)