English
chav
Origin unknown. Chav is of unknown origin. See Wiktionary.
The story
Derivations from council-housed and violent, Cheltenham average (and similar) are folk-etymological backronyms.folk etymology The source marks this as unproven or a folk etymology. Quoted, not asserted.
Today it means
noun A working-class youth, especially one associated with aggression, poor education, and a perceived "common" taste in clothing and lifestyle.
Sources
Sources: Wiktionary, “chav”. By Wiktionary contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0, via kaikki.org (dump of Oct 3 2026); text adapted and restructured. Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word. License.
Etymograph / chav