Chavish

/ˈtʃeɪvɪʃ/ adjective

Definition

Resembling or characterized by chaving; prone to chewing, or dialectally, resembling a jaw or mouth structure.

Etymology

Formed from 'chave' or 'chaw' with the adjectival suffix '-ish' (meaning 'somewhat like' or 'resembling'). The '-ish' suffix is flexible enough to attach to nearly any noun or verb in English, making this a productive but uncommon formation.

Kelly Says

The '-ish' suffix is uniquely English in its productivity—you can add it to almost anything (bluish, roundish, British-ish) to create new adjectives, which is why old or dialectal words can generate related words that might appear nowhere else in print.

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