chabin
Antillean Creole
Etymology
From French chabine.
Noun
chabin
- female equivalent of chaben
Usage notes
In Caribbean French Kwéyòl (spoken in e.g. Guadeloupe, Martinique, Saint Lucia and Dominica) this term is used without a gendered article, and to refer to women of African descent with pale skin (and more specifically, those with red, gold, blonde or light-brown hair). The masculine form of the word is "chaben", and the plural forms are "chabins" and "chabens". In the Kwéyòl-speaking Caribbean islands, the term is sometimes used as an adjective when included in English sentences e.g. "the chabin girl".
French
Alternative forms
- shabin
Etymology
(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)
Pronunciation
Audio (file)
Noun
chabin m (plural chabins, feminine chabine)
- sheep-goat hybrid, "geep"
- (Antilles, slang) a person of African descent with pale skin
References
- Walther von Wartburg (1928–2002), “chabin”, in Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch (in German), volume 2: C Q K, page 309