Transcription
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- US Pronunciation
- US IPA
- UK Pronunciation
- UK IPA
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- [spiv]
- /spɪv/
- /spɪv/
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- US Pronunciation
- US IPA
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- [spiv]
- /spɪv/
Definitions of spiv word
- noun spiv a petty criminal, especially a black marketeer, racetrack tout, or petty thief. 1
- noun spiv black market crook and flashy dresser 1
- countable noun spiv A spiv is a man who does not have a regular job and who makes money by business deals which are usually illegal. 0
- noun spiv a person who makes a living by underhand dealings or swindling; black marketeer 0
- noun spiv a man who lives by his wits, without doing any regular or honest work, esp. one engaged in petty, shady dealings 0
Information block about the term
Origin of spiv
First appearance:
before 1885 One of the 21% newest English words
1885-90; back formation from dial. spiving smart; perhaps akin to spiffy
Historical Comparancy
Parts of speech for Spiv
noun
adjective
verb
adverb
pronoun
preposition
conjunction
determiner
exclamation
spiv popularity
A pretty common term. Usually people know it’s meaning, but prefer to use a more spread out synonym. About 69% of English native speakers know the meaning and use word.
According to our data about 70% of words is more used. This is a rare but used term. It occurs in the pages of specialized literature and in the speech of educated people.