Etymology of the English word caitiff
the English word
caitiffderived from the French word
caitifderived from the Late Latin word
captivus (caught, taken captive; captured; prisoner of war, captive)
derived from the Latin word
captus (capacity, ability, potentiality; captured, captive)
derived from the Late Latin word
capere (to take; take hold, seize; grasp)
derived from the Proto-Indo-European root
*kap-Date
The earliest known usage of caitiff in English dates from the 13th century.
Usage
Word found in Modern English
