Chav
/t͡ʃæv/ noun
noun ·Rare ·Advanced level
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A working-class youth, especially one associated with aggression, poor education, and a perceived "common" taste in clothing and lifestyle. British, Ireland, derogatory, offensive
"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"
Synonyms
All synonymsExample
More examples"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"
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.