Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

shiv

/ʃɪv/

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 3.09 in modern English

Syllables
shiv
IPA
/ʃɪv/
10
Scrabble Score
4
Letters
1
Syllables
4
Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

A knife, especially a makeshift one fashioned from something not normally used as a weapon (like a plastic spoon or a toothbrush).

Countable; Slang

noun

A particular woody by-product of processing flax or hemp.

Uncountable

verb

To stab (someone) with a shiv.

Slang; Transitive verb

verb

To stab (someone) with anything not normally used as a stabbing weapon.

Slang; Transitive verb

Example Sentences

Etymology

First attested 1915. From chive, chieve, chife, chiv (“knife”), from Romani chive, chiv, chivvomengro (“knife, dagger, blade”).

Origin

Word Breakdown

Usage

Inflected Forms

Derived Forms

Synonyms

Rhymes With

Questions

How do you pronounce shiv?
The recorded pronunciation is /ʃɪv/.
What does shiv mean?
A knife, especially a makeshift one fashioned from something not normally used as a weapon (like a plastic spoon or a toothbrush).
Where does shiv come from?
It is traced to Sanskrit.

How to pronounce shiv

  1. Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “shiv”.
  2. Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/ʃɪv/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
  3. Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “shiv”.
  4. Repeat and practice — Say “shiv” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.