The term shiv, meaning “sharp object used as a weapon” and originally spelled shive, first appeared in New York City underworld jargon in 1915 as a variation of the word chiv/chive/chieve, which also meant “knife” in British Thieves’ Cant. This term surfaced in London prisons during the mid-seventeenth century, with its etymology not clearly defined in the Oxford English Dictionary. However, some sources suggest that it may have originated from a Romani word similar to chivomengro, signifying “knife” and ultimately tracing back to the Sanskrit word churi, meaning “knife”. The term shiv remained relatively obscure in American English until the 1990s when it gained popularity through rap music and usage in U.S. correctional facilities.
