spiv

Meaning

1. A smartly dressed person who trades in illicit, black-market or stolen goods, especially during World War II.
2. A flashy con artist, often homeless, who lives by his wits.
3. A low and common thief.
4. A slacker; one who shirks responsibility.

Synonyms

black marketeer

charlatan

cheat

cheater

con man

fake

finagler

fraud

goldbrick

huckster

impersonator

imposter

jobber

phony

ringer

scammer

shark

🦈

swindler

two-timer

utterer

weasel

welcher

welsher

shammer

spruce up

ganef

sandbagger

clip artist

ganof

gonif

goniff

sharpy

Pronounced as (IPA)

/spɪv/

Etymology

Unknown. Perhaps from spiff, spiffy. Spiv was the nickname of Henry Bagster, a Londoner arrested a number of times in 1904-6 for activities as described below, and may have been the archetype. Also possibly from Romani spiv (“sparrow”), as active and opportunistic.