chettyn.
/ˈtʃɛti/ An individual of any of the South-Indian trading castes so named. Also attributive.
ΘΚΠ
society > trade and finance > trader > [noun] > Hindu or Muslim
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1598 W. Phillip tr. J. H. van Linschoten Disc. Voy. E. & W. Indies i. xxx. 58/2 There are some likewise that get their liuings by their friends, trauelling for them from place to place with some wares and marchandises, and they are called Chattiins.
1686 in J. T. Wheeler Madras in Olden Time (1861) I. 152 If the Chetty Bazaar people do not immediately open their shops and sell their grain.
1773 E. Ives Voy. India 25 Chitties are a particular kind of merchants of Madrass, and are generally very rich, but rank with the left hand cast.
1880 Encycl. Brit. XII. 760/1 Along the eastern sea-board [of India] the predominating classes of traders are those named Chetties and Komatis.
1908 C. Corner Ceylon xxix. 270 Very exclusive indeed is the Chettie socially.
1908 C. Corner Ceylon xxix. 273 The host..a Chettie in chettie costume.
1912 Times 1 Oct. 6/6 A chetty gave as a treat to 173 persons a bushel of rice each.
1922 Blackwood Mag. Nov. 685/1 You will doubtless meet Chetty and even Brahman ladies from the hot plains of Tanjore.
1934 ‘G. Orwell’ Burmese Days ix. 144 The Indian chetty in the bazaar would cash cheques.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1933; most recently modified version published online December 2020).
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