Etymology

Noun

1. A contemptible person.

   Elissa is a right git.

2. A silly, incompetent, stupid, annoying or childish person.

   Jacko is a git.

Usage notes

• 'Git' is usually used as an insult, more severe than twit but less severe than a true profanity like wanker or arsehole, 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 was often used in the sitcom Til Death Us Do Part where Warren Mitchell as Alf Garnett would frequently describe his son-in-law played by Tony Booth as a "Scouse git". Micky Dolenz penned the Monkees song "Randy Scouse Git" on the Headquarters album after hearing the term on the programme. The group's British record company at the time felt uncomfortable with the use of the word so the song was issued as "Alternate Title" in the United Kingdom.
• The word "git" was also frequently used in the British science fiction comedy Red Dwarf, mainly by Arnold Rimmer. John Lennon also uses it in the Beatles White Album song "I'm So Tired". He says, "And curse Sir Walter Raleigh, He was such a stupid get," using the archaic version to rhyme with "cigarette."
• In software, the word was used self-deprecatingly by Linus Torvalds in naming the git source control package.

Verb

1. To get.
2. To leave.