caitive

English

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈkeɪtɪv/

Noun

caitive (plural caitives)

1. (obsolete) A captive.
   • 1590, Edmund Spenser, “Book II, Canto IV”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC:

     What hard mishap him brought to such distresse,
     And made that caitives thrall, the thrall of wretchedness

   • 1567, Ovid, “(please specify the book number or chapter)”, in Arthur Golding, transl., The XV. Bookes of P. Ouidius Naso, Entytuled Metamorphosis, […], London: […] Willyam Seres […], →OCLC:

     When whelmed in their wicked worke those cursed Caitives lay
     The Earth their mother tooke their bloud yet warme and (as they say)
     Did give it life.

Related terms

• caitiff

Anagrams

• viciate

Old French

Etymology

Latin captivus.

Noun

caitive oblique singular, f (oblique plural caitives, nominative singular caitive, nominative plural caitives)

1. female equivalent of caitif