noun
chav
Chav (noun) means (informal) A young working-class person seen as loud, badly behaved and dressed in a certain flashy style, used as an insult.
noun
1
(informal) A young working-class person seen as loud, badly behaved and dressed in a certain flashy style, used as an insult.
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Etymology
The origin is uncertain, but it is probably Angloromani. Compare Romani chavi (“male child”) or ćhavo, shavo (“female child”), chal (“boy”), and chavvy (“mate, friend”); compare also Swedish tjej. It is possibly cognate with Portuguese chavalo, Spanish chaval, German Chabo, Russian чувак (čuvak), and Hungarian csávó. See also charva. Derivations from council-housed and violent or Cheltenham average (and similar) are folk-etymological backronyms.
Related words
Frequently asked questions
What is the meaning of chav?
"chav" (noun) means (informal) A young working-class person seen as loud, badly behaved and dressed in a certain flashy style, used as an insult.
What is another word for chav?
Other words for "chav" include bogan, kev, ned, charva, bam.
