cad
[ kad ]
/ kæd /
noun
an ill-bred man, especially one who behaves in a dishonorable or irresponsible way toward women.
British Archaic.
- a local town boy or youth, as contrasted with a university or public school student.
- a servant at a university or public school.
Nearby words
cactus moth, cactus pear, cactus wren, cacumen, cacuminal, cad, cad/cam, cadaga, cadaster, cadastral, cadastre
Origin of cad
1780–90; short for caddie, (in the sense “a person who runs errands and does odd jobs”)
Definition for cad (2 of 2)
CAD
[ kad ]
/ kæd /
noun
computer-aided design.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
Examples from the Web for cad
British Dictionary definitions for cad (1 of 2)
cad
/ (kæd) /
noun
British informal, old-fashioned a man who does not behave in a gentlemanly manner towards others
Derived Formscaddish, adjective
Word Origin for cad
C18: shortened from caddie
British Dictionary definitions for cad (2 of 2)
CAD
n acronym for
computer-aided design
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Word Origin and History for cad
cad
1730, shortening of cadet (q.v.); originally used of servants, then (1831) of town boys by students at British universities and public schools (though at Cambridge it meant "snob"). Meaning "person lacking in finer feelings" is from 1838.
A cad used to be a jumped-up member of the lower classes who was guilty of behaving as if he didn't know that his lowly origin made him unfit for having sexual relationships with well-bred women. [Anthony West, "H.G. Wells: Aspects of a Life," 1984]
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper