GNU Collaborative International Dictionary of English

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Found 2 definitions

1.       
   Caitiff , a. [OE. caitif, cheitif, captive, miserable, OF. caitif, chaitif, captive, mean, wretched, F. chétif, fr. L. captivus captive, fr. capere to take, akin to E. heave. See Heave, and cf. Captive.]
    Captive; wretched; unfortunate. [Obs.]
   Chaucer.
   
   1913 Webster
   Base; wicked and mean; cowardly; despicable.
   1913 Webster
   Arnold had sped his caitiff flight.
   W. Irving.
   
   1913 Webster
   
         
       

2.       
   Caitiff, n. A captive; a prisoner. [Obs.]
   1913 Webster
   Avarice doth tyrannize over her caitiff and slave.
   Holland.
   
   1913 Webster
   A wretched or unfortunate man. [Obs.]
   Chaucer.
   
   1913 Webster
   A mean, despicable person; one whose character meanness and wickedness meet.
   1913 Webster
   The deep-felt conviction of men that slavery breaks down the moral character . . . speaks out with . . . distinctness in the change of meaning which caitiff has undergone signifying as it now does, one of a base, abject disposition, while there was a time when it had nothing of this in it.
   Trench.
   
   1913 Webster