An archaic adjective meaning wretched, miserable, pitiful, or of poor quality.
From Old French 'chétif' (wretched, mean), derived from Latin 'captivus'; used in Middle English to describe miserable conditions or contemptible people.
Medieval writers used 'chetive' to describe everything from unhappy people to shabby castles—it was a favorite insult word because it carried the sense of both weakness and worthlessness!
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