chayav

C3H4A1Y4A1V4
US/ˈxajəv/US[xaˈjav]US/xɑˈjɑv/

adjective

responsible, culpable, obligated, typically in either the fulfillment of a mitzvah or in receiving punishment from a beit din

Opposite
patur
Scrabble 17

Meanings

adjectivechayav (comparative more chayav, superlative most chayav)

comparative more chayav · superlative most chayav · alternative chayev · alternative chayov · alternative hayav · alternative khayav

  1. Judaismtypically followed by for or toresponsible, culpable, obligated, typically in either the fulfillment of a mitzvah or in receiving punishment from a beit din

    Say someone becomes niftar and owes a petty sum (under 100 currency units) is his next-of-kin chayav to pay his debts under halachah?

    2014 July 13, Noach MiFrankfurt, Mi Yodeya, archived from the original on 07 Dec 2021

    Antonyms: patur

Synonyms & antonyms

adjectiveresponsible, culpable, obligated, typically in either the fulfillment of a mitzvah or in receiving punishment from a beit din

Opposite
patur

Origin

  1. Hebrewחַיָּב“liable, culpable, obligated”
  2. Englishchayav

Borrowed from Hebrew חַיָּב (chayáv, “liable, culpable, obligated”).

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

chayav. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/chayav

MLA

“chayav.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/chayav. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “chayav,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/chayav.

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