caitif

• caytyf, caitijf, caytif, chaitif, kaytif, caytyve, caytef, caytyff, kaytyff, caiteff, caytyffe, kaytiffe

From Anglo-Norman caitif, from Latin captīvus. Doublet of captif.

• IPA^(key): /kæi̯ˈtiːf/, /ˈkæi̯tif/

caitif (plural caitifes)

1. A captive, prisoner or hostage.
2. A miser, wretch, pauper or beggar; a miserable person
   • Late 14th century, Geoffrey Chaucer, "The Knight's Tale", The Canterbury Tales

     For, certes, lord, þer is noon of us alle / Þat she ne haþ been a duchesse or a queene. / Now be we caytyves, as it is wel seene, / Þanked be Fortune and hire false wheel

3. A despicable or evil person.
4. (rare) The state of being held hostage.

• English: caitiff
• Scots: catif (obsolete)

• “caitī̆f, n.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007, retrieved 26 April 2018.

caitif (comparative caitiver, superlative catifest)

1. In captivity or jail; kidnapped.
2. Driven to despair; saddened.
3. miserly, of little means.
4. malicious, bad, sinful, heartless.

• English: caitiff

• “caitī̆f, adj.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007, retrieved 26 April 2018.

• chaitif
• chatif
• cheitif

From Vulgar Latin *cactivus, from a crossing of Latin captīvus and a Transalpine Gaulish caxtos, from Proto-Celtic *kaxtos. Cognate with Old Occitan caitiu.

caitif oblique singular, m (oblique plural caitis, nominative singular caitis, nominative plural caitif)

1. captive, prisoner

• English: caitiff (archaic)
• French: chétif