What does the word 'git' mean?

Question

Haha weird question.. I know....
I read it in Harry Potter.. it seems to be insulting, but I never found out exactly what it means. Help?

Answer 1

VERB:

Chiefly New England, Midland U.S., & Southern U.S.

Variant of get.



http://education.yahoo.com/reference/dictionary/entry/git



British informal

an unpleasant or contemptible person



http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/git?view=uk



http://www.macmillandictionary.com/dictionary/american/git



Usage notes

'Git' is usually used as an insult, more severe than twit but less severe than a true profanity like wanker or ********, and may often be used affectionately between friends. 'Get' can also be used, with a subtle change of meaning. 'You cheeky get!' is slightly less harsh than 'You cheeky git!'.

'Git' is frequently used in conjunction with another word to achieve a more specific meaning. For instance a "smarmy git" refers to a person of a slimy, ingratiating disposition; a "jammy git" would be a person with undeserved luck. The phrase "grumpy old git", denoting a cantankerous old man, is used with particular frequency.



In parts of northern England, Northern Ireland and Scotland, 'get' is still used in preference to 'git'.

The word has been ruled by the Speaker of the House of Commons to be unparliamentary language.

Answer 2

As others have said, it's mild British slang for an unpleasant person.



It doesn't necessarily mean an idiot. Being a git is primarily about being officious, greedy, irritating or vindictive. The person who won't give your ball back after it accidentally went over their garden fence - that's a git. A visitor you've fed for a week, who then doesn't buy you a drink when you both go to the pub - that's a git. The "jobsworth" desk clerk who won't give you an envelope addressed to you, sitting in plain sight in a pigeonhole behind their desk, because it's 30 seconds after they've officially started their lunch break - that's a git. And so on.

Answer 3

This is an old word. It does mean someone's an idiot these days etc, as the other answerers say, but it comes from the word illeGITimate meaning bastard, which at one time was used as an insult to imply that your parents were not married when you were conceived. Fortunately today we are not so judgmental about whether your parents are married or not. I suspect your brother doesn't know the real meaning of this word, so he is the "git."

Answer 4

annoying. idiot kind of thing. " Git is a relatively mild slang term used in British English to denote a silly, incompetent, stupid, annoying, or childish person. It is usually an insult, more severe than '' but less severe than a true obscenity like wanker or ar sehole.'' i have only once heard someone call someone else a git and that was an upper class man describing a cyclist, not really what you might call common language over here.

Answer 5

This Site Might Help You.



RE:

What does the word 'git' mean?

Haha weird question.. I know....

I read it in Harry Potter.. it seems to be insulting, but I never found out exactly what it means. Help?

Answer 6

What Does Git Mean

Answer 7

Basically a British version of "idiot."



Funny, I instantly knew you were reading Harry Potter when I read the subject line, because that's the only other place I've heard this word used also.

Answer 8

'Git' basically means the same as calling somebody an idiot.

Answer 9

git'er done!

Answer 10

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/git