chétif

adjective

Sickly; weak.

OriginFrench chétif →
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Meanings

adjectivechétif (comparative more chétif, superlative most chétif)

comparative more chétif · superlative most chétif

  1. Sickly; weak.

    It was hard to believe this gay, good-looking young chap, laughing and making mock of the very religion he was going into, was the chétif little boy who used to follow the big Horace everywhere and couldn't live without him.

    1974, GB Edwards, The Book of Ebenezer Le Page, New York, published 2007, page 130

Origin

  1. Frenchchétif
  2. Englishchétif

Borrowed from French chétif. Doublet of captive and caitiff.

More words from French

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

chétif. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/ch%C3%A9tif

MLA

“chétif.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/ch%C3%A9tif. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “chétif,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/ch%C3%A9tif.

Source: chétif on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.